A critical assessment of the metropolitan police mandate within a constitutional democratic framework : the case of Gauteng metropolitan police departments

Abstract

This research was directed towards investigating if the metropolitan police mandate, as it is collectively perceived by senior metropolitan police officials in Gauteng, is constructive and aligned to the notion of a democratic South Africa. Qualitative data was collected from all metropolitan police departments in Gauteng through an extensive series of semi structured interviews. By adopting a phenomenographic research approach, collected data was transcribed, analysed and hierarchically arranged into a variety of qualitatively different but intrinsically related categories of description. From these categories of description, multiple collective understandings relating to democracy in South Africa, democratic policing and the metropolitan police role emerged. Further analysis revealed that the senior metropolitan police managers collectively fosters a significantly limited understanding of democracy, predominantly based on rudimentary and general democratic principles and values. The collective understanding participants held in relation to democratic policing was also significantly rudimentary and limited, as it principally revolved around the notion of police accountability. Again, the absence of an explicit relationship between participants and South Africa’s democracy was notable. Sequentially, it emerged that participants predominantly do not understand or perceive the metropolitan police department or its mandate as is appropriate within the framework of South Africa’s constitutional democracy. The democratic features of a preventative and proactive focus, objective professionalism and individual and situational responsiveness are thus remarkably absent from these departments. Subsequently, the metropolitan police mandate, as it is collectively perceived by senior metropolitan police officials in the Gauteng Province, is neither appropriate nor constructive to a democratic South Africa.

Olu phando lwalujoliswe ekuphandeni ukuba ingaba igunya lamapolisa esixeko, njengoko libonwa njalo ngawo wonke amagosa aphezulu obupolisa besixeko eGauteng, liyakha kwaye lingqamene na nombono woMzantsi Afrika wedemokhrasi. Kwaqokelelwa iinkcukacha zolwazi lomgangatho kuwo wonke amasebe amapolisa esixeko eGauteng, oko kusenziwa ngothotho lodliwano ndlebe olunzulu nolungaqingqwanga ncam. Kwasetyenziswa indlela yophando ejonga iimeko ngobunjalo bazo, iinkcukacha zolwazi ezaqokelelwayo zahlalutywa zacwangciswa ngokwamanqwanqwa olandelelwano, zangamaqela enkcazelo aneempawu ezingafaniyo nangona zizalana. Ukususela kula maqela enkcazelo kwaqondakala iqela lezimvo eziphathelene nedemokhrasi eMzantsi Afrika, ukugcina umthetho ngokwedemokhrasi kwaze kwavela indima yamapolisa esixeko. Uhlalutyo lwaqhuba lwavelisa ukuba abaphathi bamapolisa esixeko ewonke abonakalisa ukungayiqondi kakuhle idemokhrasi, ikakhulu asekeleze iinqobo ezingacolekanga zedemokhrasi. Uluvo lwabo bonke abathathi nxaxheba xa luthelekiswa nokugcina umthetho ngokwedemokhrasi lwafumaniseka ukuba nalo alucolekanga ngaye lulwazana oluncinci, kuba lwalungqonge ingcinga yokuba amapolisa amele izenzo zawo. Ngaphezu koko, kwaqapheleka ukungabikho kobudlelwane phakathi kwabathathi nxaxheba nedemokhrasi yoMzantsi Afrika. Okulandelayo yaba kukuqaphela ukuba abathathi nxaxheba abaliqondi iSebe okanye igunya lamapolisa esixeko njengoko libekiwe kwisakhelo sedemokhrasi yoMgaqo Siseko yoMzantsi Afrika. Azikho kwaphela kula maSebe iimpawu zedemokhrasi zokuthintela nokulungiselela kungekaqhambuki bubi, ukusebenza kakuhle nokuvelela izinto macala onke kwanokukwazi ukusabela kwimeko ethile. Ngoko ke, igunya lamapolisa esixeko, njengoko libonwa njalo ngawo wonke amagosa aphezulu amapolisa esixeko kwiPhondo iGauteng, alifanelekanga kwaye aliwakhi uMzantsi Afrika wedemokhrasi.

Lolu cwaningo lwaluqondiswe ekuhloleni ukuthi isijubo samaphoyisa edolobhakazi, ngendlela esibonwa ngayo yizikhulu zasemaphoyiseni edolobhakazi eGauteng singesakhayo na nokuthi siyahambisana yini nombono weNingizimu Afrika yentando yeningi. Imininingwane yocwaningo emayelana namaqiniso yaqoqwa kuyo yonke iminyango yamaphoyisa edolobhakazi eGauteng ngokusebenzisa uchungechunge olubanzi lwezingxoxo ezihleliwe. Ngokulandela indlela yocwaningo ebheka ukuthi abantu bacabangani noma bayithola injani into ethile, imininingwane eqoqiwe yashicilelwa yaba ngumbhalo, yahlaziywa yabe seyihlelwa ngokulandelana kokukhula kwayo yaba yizinhlobonhlobo zemikhakha yencazelo engamazingahle ahlukahlukene kodwa futhi zibe zihlobene ngokwemvelo. Kule mikhakha yencazelo, kuvele ukuqonda okwahlukene kaningi eqoqweni elilodwa ngokufanayo maqondana nentando yeningi eNingizimu Afrika, ukuqapha okuhambisana nentando yeningi kanye nendima edlalwa ngamaphoyisa edolobhakazi. Olunye uhlaziyo luveze ukuthi izikhulu zasemaphoyiseni edolobhakazi, ngokuhlanganyela, zinokuqonda okunomkhawulo maqondana nentando yeningi, ikakhulukazi kokuphathelene nemigomo nezimiso ezejwayelekile zentando yeningi. Ukuqonda kweqoqo lababambiqhaza ngokuhlanganyela maqondana nokuqapha okuhambisana nentando yeningi nakho kwaba ngokwejwayeleke kakhulu futhi kwaba nomkhawulo, njengoba kwakugxile kakhulu embonweni wokuziphedulela kwamaphoyisa. Kanti okunye, ukungabi khona kobudlelwano obucacile phakathi kwababambiqhaza kanye nentando yeningi yeNingizimu Afrika nakho kwabonakala. Okwalandela lapho kwaba ngukuthi ababambiqhaza abaningi abaqondi kahle kumbe babona umnyango wamaphoyisa edolobhakazi noma isijubo sawo njengefanelekile ngokohlaka lwentando yeningi yeNingizimu Afrika elandela umthethosisekelo. Ngakho-ke, izinto ezihambisana nentando yeningi maqondana nokugxila ekuvimbeleni nasekwenzeni izinto ngaphandle kokutshelwa, ukuqeqesheka kahle ngokubheka wonke amacala kanye nokubhekana nezinto eziqondene nomuntu ngamunye noma nezimo, azitholakali kule minyango. Ngenxa yalokho, isijubo samaphoyisa edolobhakazi, ngendlela esibonwa ngayo yizikhulu zasemaphoyiseni edolobhakazi esifundazweni saseGauteng, singesingafanelekile nesingakhi eNingizimu Afrika yentando yeningi.