CHAPTER 1: Introduction and methodology

CHAPTER 1
Introduction and Methodology

SAPS` COSTLY RESTRUCTURING
A Review of Public Order Policing Capacity

Monograph No 138, October 2007

 

Bilkis Omar

Introduction

This monograph assesses the effectiveness of the SAPS Crime Combating Units (CCUs) in order to determine the extent to which they are able to ensure security both at protest marches and for the upcoming 2010 Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup.

By way of background, it begins with a description and explanation of the legislation regulating gatherings and events, and the powers accorded to police to manage gatherings. It then moves on to describe the structural and functional changes made to the units during both the 2001 and the 2006 restructuring processes, examining the effect of these changes on the units, especially with regard to the specialist crowd management function.

The capacity to perform public order policing is influenced by the challenges facing the police in relation to the legislation, the type of training received by units, the ongoing maintenance of the training, the equipment available, and the fitness, experience and age of members. These matters are considered in some detail. The capacity challenges of the units in relation to human resources and logistics, which are well known to police management, are also discussed.

The main concerns relate to the impact of the changes that have been imposed on the units by the restructuring of 2006. The monograph interrogates the ultimate aim of policymakers – what their intention is with regard to the CCUs and how willing they are to act in order to reduce the harm caused to these units.

Besides the official public order units, the metro police and the SAPS Visible Police (VISPOL) division have been given significant responsibilities for public order management and are receiving appropriate training. The metro police’s training is necessary because they are often the first to respond to spontaneous public order incidents. VISPOL’s training in crowd management aims to assist the Crime Combating Units in maintaining order at medium to low risk gatherings, as well as during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. VISPOL’s role in public order is explained and examined.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup will be one of the biggest international events ever to take place on South African soil. The security measures put in place have to take into account the general state of crime in the country, as well as soccer hooliganism, and the role of private security.

Methodology

In 2006, the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) received permission from the South African Police Service (SAPS) to undertake a study of the Area Crime Combating Units in Gauteng1. The ISS considered the study necessary because of a noticeable increase in service delivery problems at local government level and also because South Africa is gearing up to host the FIFA World Cup in 2010.

The purpose of the research was to assess the capacity of the police service’s Crime Combating Units (CCUs) to manage both protest marches and security for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It also sought to look at the role played by the other policing agencies involved in crowd control and the management of events: the metro police, SAPS Visible Police division, and private security companies. Funding for the research was obtained from the Open Society Foundation South Africa (OSF-SA).

At the outset, consultations were held with the SAPS, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and academics, in order to refine the methodology. Interviews were conducted with police members using a semi-structured questionnaire, on a one-on-one basis.

Since a major focus was the capacity of the units, several of the questions related to the constraints imposed on the units as a result of the restructurings in 2001 and 2006. Training, specialised equipment and the fitness levels of members were also taken into account in determining capacity challenges. Further questions were asked regarding the relationship of the units to other role-players such as metro police, VISPOL members and private security companies.
 
A time graph of protest marches taking place in South Africa was constructed to determine if these marches had increased or decreased in number and frequency. The necessary data was obtained from the SAPS database and the Incident Registration Information System (IRIS), which registers violent and peaceful marches, as well as other policing functions.

Interviews at the Johannesburg CCU began in November 2006. In total 49 members of a total of 225 operational members were interviewed. These included seven managers (Unit Commander to Captain level), 34 platoon members, and eight support services members including information officers and trainers. The members, who were chosen according to their availability, were interviewed one-on-one.

The researcher observed the operation of the Crime Combating Unit members at gatherings and events, and attended ‘golden triangle’ meetings with the Johannesburg CCU information officer in order to determine the content of the meetings and how they were conducted.

In December 2006, formal training of police station members in crowd management began at a SAPS training centre in Rooiberg. This was a new SAPS initiative and the Institute for Security Studies was invited to observe the training. Informal interviews with station members attending the course were conducted, as well as with five SAPS national trainers who were conducting the training.

Interviews at the East Rand CCU commenced in early February 2007, with 57 members of a total of 197 operational members being interviewed. Ten managers, 32 platoon members, and 15 support services personnel, including information officers and trainers, were interviewed.

The researcher also attended preliminary security meetings for a soccer event in Germiston, as well as the actual event, to observe the workings of the Joint Operational Command (JOC). The JOC is a committee of commanders from the SAPS, metro police, SAPS Visible Police, Disaster Management, Emergency Services, and other relevant departments, that oversees the execution of an event on the day of the event.

Interviews at the Pretoria CCU started in late February 2007, but had to be stopped because the SAPS had just embarked on Operation Trio, a three-month high-density crime prevention operation. In this operation CCU members from all units in the country were redeployed to high priority stations. During this time, the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) granted permission to the ISS researcher to conduct research at the department. Eight officers were interviewed, in addition to the chief superintendent of training, the director of operations of the southern region, and the director of training.

Permission to conduct the research at the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) was denied because the JMPD management was in the process of finalising the structure of their Public Order Unit. 

To cover private security companies, the National Manager of Law Enforcement of the Private Security Industry Regulating Authority (PSIRA) was interviewed regarding regulation of private security companies, as well as the mechanisms that were being put in place for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The National Safety and Security Officer of the South African Football Association (SAFA), the National Safety Officer of the Premier Soccer League (PSL), and the General Manager of Operations and Events of Ellis Park Stadium, were interviewed regarding security for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Research challenges and shortcomings

The following challenges must be recognised:

• The fact that the Johannesburg unit had been restructured only a few weeks prior to the interviews being conducted meant that some interviews were carried out with officers who had only recently joined the unit from other areas, including the West Rand and Soweto. These members had little experience in their new posts and were consequently unable to provide information about the working of the Johannesburg CCU. This was also the case in the East Rand unit. Members kept alluding to experiences they had had in their previous Area Crime Combating Units, with the result that not much detail was provided about the recently restructured and renamed Crime Combating Unit being studied.

  
  

• The Johannesburg and East Rand interviews had to be conducted early in the morning before members went on duty, or sometimes while they were on duty. While this did not affect the quality of the interviews, in some instances an interview could not be completed because members had to attend to their duties. 

  
  

• While the focus of the research was on three CCUs in Gauteng (Johannesburg, East Rand and Pretoria), interviews were conducted only at the Johannesburg and East Rand units because members from the Pretoria unit had been deployed to Operation Trio. The interviews at the Johannesburg and East Rand CCUs also included some interviews with members from four other units (West Rand, Soweto, Vaal Rand and North Rand) which were not part of the initial research study. This meant that the study actually looked at the issues affecting six units as opposed to the originally planned three. The broader focus did not compromise the study, because the issues highlighted by members from the additional four units (West Rand, Soweto, Vaal Rand and North Rand) were similar for all six units. In essence, the challenges that were commonplace in the Johannesburg and East Rand units were similar to those at the West Rand, Soweto, North Rand, and Vaal Rand units.

Terminology

The public order policing unit or crowd management component of the police has been renamed several times, with the result that the units have been known as the: Public Order Unit, Area Crime Combating Unit and Crime Combating Unit. Although the various names have at times been used interchangeably, the following table shows which name has been officially used for different periods.

The term ‘member’ is used to refer to all unit members of the SAPS who hold the rank of constable, sergeant, and inspector. The term ‘manager’ refers to captains, superintendents and senior superintendents. Metro police are referred to as ‘officers’.