South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has told Parliament that devolving police powers to the country’s nine provinces is not a solution to the country’s rising crime rates and gender-based violence.
Responding to a question by the opposition Democratic Alliance, Ramaphosa said the fight against crime would “not be advanced through the devolution of policing power but by mobilising resource and capabilities working with communities.”
“That, we believe, is the best way we can continue to bring the levels of crime down,” he said in the House on Thursday.
Ramaphosa revealed that his government was implementing a number of measures to fight crime. These included strengthening Community Policing Forums, he said.
He also assured Parliament of his commitment to reduce the size of cabinet.
This was despite the addition of two new ministries during this week’s cabinet reshuffle that saw the creation of new ministers responsible for electricity and for planning, monitoring and evaluation.
Commenting on the current health workers strike, Ramaphosa said workers had the right to protest in any shape or form.
“But we will not allow any form of violence that will lead to people getting injured, prevented from performing their tasks and where lives can be lost as a result of people being on strike,” he added.
The president called for an end to the strike and urged workers to put the lives and interests of South Africans first.
“Workers who perform essential services, in our view, should not be on strike.”
NM/jn/APA