Durban — The DA has called for body cameras to monitor KwaZulu-Natal police-public interactions after Police Minister Senzo Mchunu revealed that 107 suspects were killed in the province between July 2023 and July 2024.
Mchunu made the revelation in a parliamentary written response after Mzamo Billy, a DA Select Committee on Security and Justice member, asked Mchunu how many suspects were killed by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in KZN from July 30, 2023 to July 30, 2024.
This is after a report revealed that at least 31 suspects were killed by SAPS in KZN between May 1, 2024, and August 16, 2024.
Mchunu said: “107 suspects have been killed by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in KwaZulu-Natal from July 30, 2023, to July 30, 2024.”
Also stemming from Billy’s question, Mchunu said one SAPS member was arrested for their alleged involvement in the killings.
In light of this, Billy said on average of nine suspects were killed monthly by SAPS between July 30, 2023, and July 30, 2024.
He said KZN consistently features as the province with the highest number of killings due to police action. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) reported that 108 suspects were killed between 2022/23 by SAPS in KZN. This, while South Africa as a whole recorded 364 deaths.
“While it is common knowledge that suspected criminals in our province do not spare the police, the high number killed remains a cause for concern,” Billy said.
“Deadly force by SAPS should not be regarded as an acceptable way of confronting KZN’s escalating crime levels. Instead, stakeholders should tread carefully as it may impact public trust in law enforcement and the criminal justice system.”
Billy continued: “Our province needs an enhanced whole of government and society crime prevention strategy approach – that is properly funded and brings various stakeholders together. The use of evidence-based policing and technology, the allocation of police resources based on crime prevalence within communities and an urgent exploration of the use of body cameras to monitor police-public interactions are also required.
“Cameras don’t lie. Their purpose is twofold – to ensure that there is no police brutality or police over-exertion of authority and to review footage and establish where more SAPS training and resources are needed.”
Billy added that despite former Police Minister Bheki Cele stating in May 2019 that body-worn cameras were being prioritised, not a single body camera has been procured or deployed by the SAPS since then.
“The killing of criminal suspects is not a solution to escalating crime levels. This must be strongly discouraged while supporting responsible policing efforts. Value for human life and upholding the law are paramount. We should only celebrate the lawful arrest and prosecution of suspects, not their killing. This can only begin with a devolved, fully capacitated SAPS.”
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