Cape Town - POLICE Minister Bheki Cele on Thursday said his department’s expenditure in the medium term would decrease from R99.6 billion in 2020-21 to R97.1 billion in 2023-24.
Tabling his budget vote in the National Assembly, Cele said the compensation of employees accounted for 78% over the three-year period.
He said the salary bill has been reduced by R35.8 billion.
“Of this, R15.9 billion is in line with the decision not to implement the third year of the 2018 public sector wage agreement, and freezing of salary increases for the next three years.
“The remaining R19.9 billion represents the Cabinet’s approved baseline reductions to narrow the budget deficit and shift the composition of the government’s spending from consumption to investment.”
Cele also said that the Cabinet has approved further reductions amounting to R3.4 billion during the same period.
“These reductions will mainly be effected on non-core goods and services items.”
However, the minister said the SAPS focus on spending required reprioritisation of resources as well as investment in technology.
Cele said the allocation for the forensic services and the Hawks have been increased.
He stated that there would be professionalising of the SAPS through skills development and strengthening of the criminal justice system.
There will be investment in capital assets consisting of machinery and equipment such as transport assets and mobile police stations.
“A continued focus of other critical items such as bullet-resistant vests, firearms, uniform et cetera will remain as these are critical tools of trade for police to successfully render their duties,” Cele said.
He also said funding has been set aside to continue to capacitate the existing Public Order Police units in an effort to implement the recommendations from the report of the Marikana Commission panel of experts.
“Members of this unit will be deployed in various provinces to stabilise crime in identified hotspot areas.”
IOL