In a bid to strengthen the country’s efforts against crime and enhance collaboration between law enforcement and the business community, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola has announced the appointment of a dedicated team of senior officers. This move comes as a directive from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who aims to accelerate the fight against crime and bolster security for businesses and citizens alike.
The newly appointed team, comprising experienced and skilled senior police officers, will work closely with business leaders across various sectors to devise innovative strategies aimed at curbing criminal activities that impact economic growth and public safety.
Enhancing Police-Business Partnership
The appointment of this specialized task force is seen as a significant step towards fostering a closer working relationship between the police force and the business community. Recognizing that crime has a direct and detrimental effect on the country’s economy, both President Cyril Ramaphosa and National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola are determined to address this challenge head-on.
By bringing together law enforcement and business leaders, the initiative seeks to create a more coordinated and proactive approach to combat criminal activities such as armed robberies, burglaries, cybercrimes, and illicit financial transactions that affect businesses and deter investors.
According to a Business Day report, “On Tuesday, Ramaphosa met CEOs representing more than 115 companies in SA to discuss how to reduce crime. The CEOs have signed a pledge to address the country’s crippling logistics constraints and crime wave. They hope to replicate the successful private sector contributions to the electricity crisis through the National Energy Crisis Committee (Necom).
The initiative is designed to work through high-level joint structures in each of the priority areas, overseen by a joint strategic operations committee that will ideally meet every six weeks.
The initiative is a huge mobilisation of the private sector that shines a harsh spotlight on the weak capacity of the state to create investor-friendly conditions for business, which is losing patience with Ramaphosa who cruised to an election victory in 2019 on promises to revive the economy.
CEOs such as Discovery’s Adrian Gore, Anglo American’s Nolitha Fakude, Remgro’s Jannie Durand and Sanlam’s Paul Hanratty were among the 10 to 15 CEOs that attended Tuesday’s meeting. Government ministers and directors-general, as well as Eskom and Transnet leaders, were also expected to join.”
“As criminal activity becomes increasingly sophisticated and organised, we must ensure that our law enforcement and prosecution agencies are even stronger and more advanced. At the same time, we need to safeguard their independence from interference of any kind,” Ramaphosa is said to have told the closed-door meeting with the CEOs.
Business Day reported on Tuesday that Business Unity SA (Busa) had complained there has not been much progress in establishing the crime and corruption workstream, saying security and police leaders are reluctant to sit down and share information.
“I am pleased that there has been continued engagement between the National Prosecuting Authority [NPA], law enforcement agencies and business to identify areas in which joint work can be undertaken to strengthen the fight against corruption and crime,” Ramaphosa is understood to have said.
Business has also set up a stand-alone entity called Business Against Crime to co-ordinate support of the police, NPA and other state security agencies.
By fostering a collaborative approach and prioritising the safety and security of businesses, citizens, and investors, this initiative seeks to create a safer environment and boost economic growth in the country.
As this task force begins its work, all eyes will be on the progress made in curbing criminal activities and the impact of this partnership on South Africa’s business landscape. With strong commitment from both law enforcement and business leaders, this initiative holds the potential to pave the way for a more secure and prosperous future for the nation.