DA calls for more cops

2003-06-08 18:10

Johannesburg - The Democratic Alliance on Sunday called for more police officers to be deployed in Johannesburg, and criticised government spending on foreign defence duties.

"What we see today is an ANC government that is spending R800m to send troops to keep the peace in Burundi, but won't spend the money necessary to keep the peace on the streets of Johannesburg," DA leader Tony Leon said.

"In fact, the number of police (officers) on the streets in central Johannesburg is being reduced.

"Despite the fact that Gauteng is getting hundreds of new police this year, the number of cops in central Johannesburg is going down from 839 to 737."

Leon said the R14m being spent on the Johannesburg metro police service this year was not nearly enough.

The DA's safety and security spokesperson Douglas Gibson said statistics compiled by the Independent Complaint Directorate showed police corruption had increased by more than 100% in the past year.

"Wherever we go in the community we hear stories of police corruption and find that many members of the public have no confidence in the police because of corruption.

"Many policemen have a misplaced sense of comradeship even with rotten-egg cops," said Gibson.

He said it was essential corruption and crime within the SAPS be treated mercilessly as corruption undermined the SAPS and the fabric of society.

"It cannot be tolerated or condoned. Of course salaries and working conditions must be improved. But even low salaries and poor working conditions can never justify a crooked cop," said Gibson.

- SAPA