Monograph 31: Solving Crime the State of the SAPS Detective Service, By Antony Altbeker

This monograph is the product of three months of interaction with members of the detective service of the South African Police Service (SAPS). It reflects the results of a number of interviews on the manner in which South Africa’s democratisation, and a range of processes associated with this, have impacted on detectives working in this society.

Interaction with the police in general, and detectives in particular, in a country as crime-ridden as South Africa can often be a distressing business. These are, after all, the people with the closest and most depressing contact with the ways in which this society fails. Nonetheless, this has been one of the most exciting, interesting and indeed encouraging projects I have ever worked on. The professionalism and knowledge displayed by detectives throughout South Africa, and the degree to which they seemed to want to get on with their jobs despite all their concerns about the future, was inspiring and unexpected. I cannot but marvel at this.

South Africa owes a debt of gratitude to the police, whose continuing efforts in the fight against crime remain a vital ingredient in the process of building a democracy. I hope this monograph will go some way towards improving the understanding of the role of detectives in our society, as well as some of the obstacles they face. If it manages to do this to any extent, I will be well pleased.

The work itself would not have been possible without the support of SAPS head office, various commanders, and, of course, the detectives interviewed. I thank each one of them, and hope they will find I have accurately reflected their views. Where I have been unable to adequately reflect their opinions and knowledge, I offer my sincere apologies.