Constitutional Imperative: Parliament Grills Police Over Crisis of Confidence

Cape Town, South Africa – A joint sitting of Parliament’s Police and Justice portfolio committees opened this week with urgent warnings about the threat police corruption allegations pose to South Africa’s rule of law.

Committee chairperson Mathole Motshekga did not mince words:

“This has direct impact on citizen safety. If we disregard this matter, we risk becoming a lawless country.”

READ: Lt. General Mkhwanazi Warns of Collapse in South Africa’s Justice System at Madlanga Commission

Procedural Tensions Disrupt Proceedings

The high-stakes meeting nearly derailed over a disputed legal opinion drafted without full committee input.

• ANC MP Tina Joemat-Pettersson objected strongly, arguing: “Parliament can’t be run by individuals… we weren’t given opportunity to contribute.”
• Opposition members, however, accused the ANC of stalling: they argued that procedural debates were wasting critical time as the police service crisis deepens.

The clash underscored the fragile political consensus on how to deal with corruption allegations within law enforcement.

READ: Politicians in the Hot Seat — Political leaders face uncertain futures as Madlanga Commission revelations unfold.

HSRC Research Raises Red Flags

Motshekga referenced a Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) study revealing that public confidence in the South African Police Service (SAPS) is at historic lows.

He warned:

“When people lose faith in police, they take law into their own hands.”

The data suggests the erosion of trust could fuel vigilantism, further destabilizing communities already grappling with high crime rates.

Why It Matters

The portfolio committees’ work is framed as a constitutional imperative, with analysts noting that the police service’s collapse would endanger citizen safety, economic stability, and South Africa’s democratic credibility.

As debates rage inside Parliament, the bigger question remains: can political leaders restore trust in the police before public order unravels?