Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s Budget Speech has been met with deep concerns, as activists argue fiercely that more needs to be done to combat crime in South Africa.
Crime activist Yusuf Abramjee believes the Budget falls short in the fight against crime, highlighting the need for further action.
Despite Godongwana revealing that a total of R765 billion is allocated to the peace and security cluster with 10 000 new police recruits to be trained, Abramjee points out other areas of concern.
“As an anti-crime activist, it is good to see that there is a slight increase for the crime and justice system, however, clearly it is still not enough.
“We know that ten thousand new policemen are going to be deployed, we know that police stations are hopelessly under-resourced at most of the 1600 stations across South Africa.
“We know that police are battling to fight crime. We know that there is a shortage of vehicles. We know that cops are underpaid so in as much as there is a few million rand addition to the police budget, I am of the view that it is not enough.
“There needs to be an urgent intervention. They need to make money available for resources. I don’t think the budget goes far enough in addressing the fight against crime.”
Speaking about crime, Godongwana said the government is also prioritising fighting crime and corruption with a focus on enhancing law enforcement agencies.
“A total of R765 billion is allocated to the peace and security cluster. In the coming financial year, 10 000 new police recruits will be trained.
“As part of the country’s responsibility to promote regional peace and stability, this budget will also allocate funding for the deployment of soldiers in Mozambique and the DRC.
“Work on costing and identifying the needs for these critical missions will continue throughout the year and funding will be allocated.”
Abramjee, who is also founder of Tax Justice SA, welcomed the announcement that SA Revenue Service (Sars) investigations into the gold and tobacco industries have resulted in R10 billion in additional tax assessments. But he called for authorities to explain why no arrests or prosecutions of the kingpins have been made.
There was no talk of criminal charges or even arrests in spite of these alarming evaluations that point to widespread tax evasion, Abramjee said.
“It is evident that gangsters controlling South Africa’s cigarette trade are being allowed to continue operating with impunity and no fear.
“While they do so, the nation will continue to be looted of more than R27 billion in vital tax revenue annually by illicit cigarette barons.
“In fact, the new excise tax hike will force even more consumers into the illegal sector, driving the criminals’ market share beyond 80% and making us a world leader in lawlessness.
“Billions of rand in vital revenue that’s meant to pay for essential services like health, housing, education and electricity will instead be filling the bank vaults of gangsters as an inevitable result of this misguided and counter-productive move.”
Godongwana announced the R10 billion additional assessments “from key players in the illicit gold and tobacco industry”, making a commitment to installing CCTV cameras in all cigarette factories in a bid to catch out the tax cheats.
The Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association (Fita) has gone to court to stop Sars placing the cameras in its members’ factories.
“Instead of co-operating in the fight against economic sabotage, Fita and its companies are using every trick in the book to thwart CCTV installations. One has to ask ... if they do not want to put in the cameras, then what have they got to hide?” said Abramjee.
The Star