A critical analysis of the crime prevention role of the military police division in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF)

Abstract

The purpose of this research study was to offer a critical analysis of the crime prevention role of the MPD in the SANDF. A recent development in SA where military personnel are deployed to quell acts of violence and xenophobic attacks, makes this requisite and pertinent research. A qualitative research method was adopted, which goes well with the pragmatist worldview. A pragmatist worldview affords researchers the flexibility to choose the type of technique, method and procedures to be utilised in the research study. A literature review was conducted, followed by interviews with members of the MPD. The researcher interviewed a total of 23 members from the MPD. These members were chosen based on their experience and knowledge as military police officials. The data received from participants was analysed using a computer software programme called Atlas.ti. The findings of this research study revealed that crime prevention in SA is the responsibility of the SAPS, not the SANDF. The defence force can be deployed as a last resort in extreme cases when the SAPS are not able to contain the situation. Members of the defence force are not trained to deal with matters of maintenance of law and order. However, the defence force has its own crime fighting component in the form of the MPD, which can perform policing functions anywhere and at any time as long as it is aimed at enforcing the Defence Act (Act 42 of 2002). The conclusion reached by this research study is that MPD members must be capacitated in terms of both human resources and training so that they are able to deal effectively with crime within the SANDF. In an effort to address crime within the SANDF, the study proposes a model that supports the interaction between various role players in crime prevention.

Injongo yalolu cwaningo ukuhlolisisa nokuhlaziya igunya namandla okuvikela ubugebengu embuthweni wezokuvikela wase Ningizimu Afrika. Lolu cwaningo lusungulwe ngokubonakala kwentuthuko yakamuva ezenzweni zobugebengu eNingizimu Afrika lapho amalunga amasosha ethu agcina esefakwe emsebenzini wokuqeda udlame kanye nokuvikela kokuhlaselwa kwabokufika. I qualitative method indlela ucwaningo oluqhutshwa ngayo emhlabeni wonke olubheka ingqikithi nomsusa wesenzo lesi esisuke senzekile futhi kutholakele ukuthi loluhlobo lokucwaninga lusebenza kahle kakhulu. Ukwenza ucwaningo ngokuzikhandla kanye nokukhululeka kwenza abacwaningi basebenzise ubuhlakani babo kanye nezindlela ezingcono zokucwaninga, futhi zenza ukufunda ngocwaningo kuhambe kahle. Umcwaningi wabuyekeza izincwadi ezazisetshenzisiwe ngaphambilini waphinde wakhulumisana namalunga angamashumi amabili nantathu amaphoyisa wezokuvikela kwezwe phecelezi Military Police Division. Lamalunga akhethwa ngokuba ngomakade ebona futhi nangokuba mkantshubomvu kulomsebenzi wobuphoyisa embuthweni wezempi. Ubuciko bukangcondomshini obuthiwa yi-Atlas.ti buye basetshenziswa ukuhlunga kabanzi yonke imininingwane eye yatholakala kulamalunga. Okutholakele kulolu cwaningo kukhombisa ukuthi umsebenzi wokuvimbela ubulelesi ukuthi kungenzeki kungumsebenzi wamaphoyisa aseNingizimu Afrika (SAPS) kuphela, akuwona umsebenzi wombutho wezokuvikela. Umbutho wezokuvikela ungatshalwa kuphela njengendlela yokugcina ezimweni ezibucayi lapho khona amaphoyisa aseNingizimu Afrika engakwazi ukulungisa noma ukumelana nesimo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, amalungu ombutho wezokuvikela aweqeqeshelwe ukulwa nobugebengu. Umbutho wezokuvikela unebutho eliqeqeshelwe ukulwa ubugebengu kanye nokwephulwa komthetho lelo butho amaphoyisa wombutho wezokuvikela phecelezi Military Police Division. Isiphetho salolu cwaningo ukuthi amaphoyisa ombutho wezokuvikela kufanele anikezwe zonke izinsiza ezifanele aphinde aceceshwe kanzulu ukuze akwazi ukumelana kanye nokuceda ubugebengu embuthweni wezokivikela. Ukuze kubhekwe ubugebengu ngaphakathi kwi SANDF, umfuziselo olwatuswa olusekela ukusebenzisana phakathi kwabo bonke ababambe iqhaza ezinhlakeni ezahlukene ekuvimbeleni ubugebengu.

Injongo yolu phando kukunikezela ngohlalutyo oluntsonkothileyo ngendima yeMPD kwi SANDF, yokuthintela ulwaphulo-mthetho. Iziganeko zakutsha nje eMzantsi Afrika, apho kuye kwafuneka ukuba abasebenzi bomkhosi wokhuselo bathunyelwe ukuya kunqanda izenzo zobundlobongela nokuhlaselwa kwabemi bangaphandle, zenza ukuba olu ibe luphando olunyanzelekileyo nolubalulekileyo. Indlela yophando ngokwexabiso isetyenzisiwe, iyeyona ihambelana kakuhle nendlela ebona ngeliso elibanzi kwilizwe jikelele. Indlela ebona ngeliso elibanzi kwilizwe jikelele yeyona inika abaphandi inkululeko yokukhetha ubuchule, umgaqo kunye nenkqubo enokusetyenziswa kuphando olo. Uhlalutyo lwemibhalo luye lwenziwa, kwalandela udliwano ndlebe namalungu eMPD. Umphandi wenze udliwano-ndlebe namalungu eMPD angama-23 ewonke. La malungu akhethwe ngenxa yamava kunye nolwazi analo njengabasebenzi bomkhosi wezokhuselo. Iinkcukacha ezifumaneke kwabo bathathe inxaxheba ziye zahlalutywa kusetyenziswa ubuchwepheshe bekhompyutha obubizwa ngokuba yi-Atlas.ti. Ulwazi olufumaneke kolu phando lubonise ukuba ukunqandwa kolwaphulo mthetho eMzantsi Afrika luxanduva lweSAPS, hayi olweSANDF. Igqiza lomkhosi wokhuselo linakho ukuthunyelwa ngondancama xa kukho iimeko eziqatseleyo, xa i-SAPS isoyiswa kukumelana nesimo. Amalungu womkhosi wokhuselo awakuqeqeshelwanga ukujongana neemeko zokugcinwa komthetho. Nangona kunjalo, amalungu womkhosi wokhuselo analo icandelo lokulwa ulwaphulo-mthetho eliyi-MPD, elelona candelo elikwaziyo ukwenza umsebenzi wesipolisa naphina kwaye nanini na ekubeni nje inyanzelisa umthetho obizwangokuba yi-Defence Act (Umthetho wama- 42 wonyaka wama-2002). Xa beluqukumbela olu phando bafumanise ukuba amalungu weMPD kufuneka axhotyiswe ngokunikwa abasebenzi abafanelekileyo nangokuqeqeshwa ukwenzela ukuba bakwazi ukugagana ngokufanekelikelyo nolwaphulo mthetho ngaphakathi kwiSANDF. Kwiinzame zokujongana nolwaphulo mthetho kwiSANDF, olu phando luphakamisa ukuba kubekho indlela yokusebenza exhasa unxibelelwano phakathi kwabathathi nxaxheba abahlukeneyo ekuthinteleni ulwaphulo mthetho.