Mchunu targets murder rate and GBV in R120bn budget

POLICE Minister Senzo Mchunu says South Africa’s policing system is undergoing a strategic overhaul to improve crime prevention, restore public trust, and modernise police operations.

- HOPE NTANZI

Tabling the Budget Vote for the 2025/26 financial year in Parliament, Mchunu laid out a R120.89 billion allocation for the SAPS, Civilian Secretariat for Police Service, and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).

“While we welcome and appreciate the allocation, we are under no illusion about the scale of the task ahead. Crime is adaptive, dynamic, and, in many cases, well-financed and so must our response be.”

Mchunu outlined nine key crime-fighting priorities, including reducing the murder rate, fighting gender-based violence, tackling illegal firearms and drugs, and rooting out corruption within the SAPS.

“Our commitment is to lead a police service that protects the vulnerable, disrupts criminality, and restores trust,” he said.

Mchunu noted that four provinces, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape, remain the primary focus due to high crime levels.

“It is clear that identified high crime zones in all four provinces require intelligence-led targeted deployment of specialised units to combat criminality.” He also confirmed that 225 police stations in hot spots have been identified for interventions.