Premier Lesufi heeds DA call to decentralise police functions in Gauteng

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi has finally succumbed to pressure from the DA Gauteng for the devolution of the powers of the South African Police Force (SAPS) in the province. He made this statement during the debate on the 2026 State of the Province Address in the provincial legislature.

During the debate Lesufi said: “We are standing together with the Western Cape on this particular matter to say like teachers reporting to the provincial government, like nurses reporting to the provincial government, the time has arrived that the police must join and there must be a devolution of power from national to provinces so that provinces can supervise oversight over the police. We are doing this so that we can fight crime immediately.”

The DA Gauteng welcomes the premier’s utterances, finally joining our calls for the devolution of policing powers by empowering competent provinces to make meaningful decisions at the provincial and local levels where the impact is most needed.

The DA has consistently called for the decentralisation of the SAPS in every province. This would enable each province to manage its own police resources without interference from the national government. The devolution of policing would give capable municipalities the authority, resources and necessary policing powers to make our communities safer. It would enable us to invest in properly equipping and supporting our police officers, who remain underresourced, unsupported and overwhelmed as they work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.

The province’s policing needs and priorities would be central to addressing the needs in our police stations. Urgent needs include holding cells, staff shortages and infrastructure challenges. A needs and priorities list would also require consultations with different regions and various stakeholders.

The DA Gauteng experienced this first-hand while criss-crossing the province to assess the severity of crime and its impact on residents as part of our Anti-Crime Campaign. Our engagements not only revealed rising levels of crime, but also the concerning underresourcing of our 144 police stations.

Police stations such as Akasia in Pretoria North and Johannesburg Central are struggling because of a lack of resources. Akasia is supposed to have 48 vehicles but has 24, of which only 13 are currently operational. Vehicle shortage was also a concern at Johannesburg Central. Twenty-four out of 145 police stations do not have holding cells.

The severe understaffing crisis continues to cripple many police stations. There is a critical shortage of vehicles and holding cells. The working conditions are appalling at many police stations. Officers must work in facilities with poor sewerage systems, leaking roofs and dilapidated bathrooms. In some stations the electricity supply is unreliable and there are no functioning telephone lines. There is no doubt that a clear link exists between the lack of policing resources and the province’s inability to deter criminal behaviour. Furthermore, the absence of visible policing within communities is alarming, as it fosters an environment where criminal activities can flourish, leaving residents feeling vulnerable and unprotected.

Our communities are being let down by a broken police system at a national level and a premier who insists on keeping the Department of Community Safety under his direct oversight, despite lacking the capacity to manage it effectively. The deficiency also hinders police effectiveness, leaving our people vulnerable to crime. This situation not only hampers crime prevention and reduces police visibility, but also emboldens criminals who are aware that the system meant to protect citizens is failing.

It is about time that Lesufi comes to the party. Gauteng remains the epicentre of crime, with quarterly statistics showing increases in murder, attempted murder and sexual offences, among others. The devolution of police powers would ensure that resources are allocated to the police stations that need them the most, particularly those that often rank high in the top 30 stations for various crimes. This would enable us to take a targeted, evidence-based approach in our fight against the scourge of crime.

The DA will continue to call for the decentralisation of police until the premier makes a firm commitment to change. Yes, it can be done; it only needs a political will. DM

Solly Msimanga MPL is Gauteng leader of the official opposition.