Are Ramaphosa's suspensions enough? Experts question SAPS leadership effectiveness.
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In a critical analysis of President Cyril Ramaphosa's recent decisions regarding the South African Police Service (SAPS), Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Professor Kholofelo Rakubu has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the government's crisis management strategies.
This comes in the wake of Ramaphosa's announcement to place National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola on precautionary suspension and appoint Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane as acting commissioner.
This marks the fifth suspension in a series of actions taken since the inception of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which is investigating the alarming infiltration of criminal syndicates within SAPS operations.
In an interview with the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Rakubu expressed a deep-seated apprehension regarding the growing reliance on suspensions as a method of accountability.
Rakubu said suspensions have become the default crisis management tools to signal accountability because the public wants to witness accountability from the president.
"This crisis management tool is then used to defuse political pressure because there's a lot of political pressure in making sure that a decision is made. Also, the president follows this route to avoid substantial institutional reform," she said.
However, Rakubu told the broadcaster that such repeated suspensions could very well lead to “leadership paralysis,” as SAPS remains in flux with acting appointees who might be unable to effect substantial change.
Rakubu conveyed her frustration with the pattern of relying on acting appointments to steer a beleaguered SAPS through turbulent waters.
"We have been here before, and it has produced leadership paralysis. We have relied heavily on acting appointments; we take heavy and serious decisions relying on acting appointments and this has deeply affected the declining trust. There are people appointed, but everyone is acting," she said in the interview.
In addition, Rakubu questioned the capability of the newly appointed acting police commissioner to navigate the troubling circumstances of increasing political infiltration within the SAPS.
"Looking at the magnitude of political infiltration into the SAPS, one is worried how will the acting police commissioner deliver in these circumstances," she concluded.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, described the decision as a necessary step to restore stability and credibility within SAPS, particularly at a time when public confidence in the institution has been severely tested.
“This action is both necessary and overdue. The integrity of SAPS must take precedence, and decisive leadership is critical to stabilising the institution and restoring public trust,” he said.
He emphasised that the suspension sets an important precedent that must be consistently applied across the entire policing system, serving as a deterrent against misconduct and maladministration.
While reiterating that the suspension does not imply guilt on Masemola, Cameron emphasised that accountability at the highest levels of law enforcement cannot be compromised.
“In a country grappling with high levels of crime, South Africans must have full confidence that those entrusted with upholding the law are beyond reproach. This decision sends a clear message that no one is above accountability.”
He further called on the incoming acting commissioner to entrench accountability across the organisation.
“Accountability must not be delayed. If it only emerges during moments of scandal, it reflects a reactive system. A functional democracy requires accountability to be embedded in everyday governance which makes the system predictable, impartial, and consistently enforced,” he added.
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