Crime-fighting budget sinks as crime goes up

It was concerning to read about the budget cut for the National Prosecuting Authority (“Budget cut shock for NPA’s crime fight”, November 19). This as crime is escalating and convictions decline.

The R2.2bn fraud case against Matshela Koko being struck from the roll due to unreasonable delays is an example of the negative outcomes of an underfunded prosecuting authority.

The slow pace is not necessarily caused by lack of intent, but by a dearth of skills, particularly in specialist forensic auditing and data analysis and also in the skills required for investigating complex financial crimes.

The Hawks operate at 53% staffing levels, though that’s better than the police’s detective services, which average just over 40% (but with only 13.8% of commercial crime investigator positions filled).

In Business Times of the same date there is a shocking disclosure of how much revenue the South African Revenue Service loses through the sale of illicit cigarettes and alcohol more than R30bn a year. Yet the government then decides to cut the budget for the NPA to save money.

This is one very confusing and convoluted way to address the crisis of exploding crime, decreasing convictions and troubling cash flows.

Logistics cul-de-sac

In various media recently, Transnet and its satellite companies have been making much of their recovery plans. In my opinion they should be hanging their heads after having “nearly destroyed the country”, in the words of the media.

Once again in the media, the minister in the Presidency has indicated that the government will soon release its national logistics roadmap, which implies that this will miraculously restore the economy by improving our ports’ performance.

Apart from the political hype, I would hope that the minister and Transnet are aware that so-called logistics roadmaps have been around for decades, with no discernible slowing of the downward slide. In fact, in 1999 the department of transport issued a document on a strategic framework for transport, “Moving South Africa the action agenda”, with multiple plans to improve our logistics position. In terms of freight transport, and I quote:

“By 2020 the transport system will meet the needs of freight customers for sustainable, highly reliable and rapid transport services ...”

The document deals with transport strategies to meet the country’s needs, from rail to shipping to air transport to roads, and details the necessary actions.

Have the department of transport and the cabinet been sleeping and allowing the good work done under ex-minister Mac Maharaj to be forgotten? The major problem lies with the incompetence of government departments and state-owned enterprises, from Transnet to Eskom to municipalities to provincial roads departments. The recent spat between the transport minister and the mayor of Cape Town over taxis confirms this.

Also, the two departments where engineering and economics expertise are necessary are headed by a former nurse and a lifetime politician with no backgrounds in their areas of oversight. Does this mean the president has no regard for efficiency in infrastructure provision?

The answer perhaps lies in the auditorgeneral’s report which “raises alarm over shoddy work in infrastructure projects”, and in which it is reported that, of 132 projects analysed, 82% were defective. Dr Malcolm Mitchell, Hillcrest

Stop the double standards

The invasion of Ukraine continues unabated and the people are mute about the crimes of Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is accused of genocide.

South Africa’s geopolitical position is biased. It chose a non-alignment position over Russia-Ukraine yet it condemns Israel. This is viewed by David Saks (director of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies) as hatred of Jews.

The radical Left in South Africa resents Israel, the US and its Western allies. Putin is a hero but Netanyahu a murderer. Saks reminds us it was Hamas that provoked Israel. Russia invaded Ukraine on the premise that it was flirting with Nato.

South Africa must stop its double standards.

Lindani Ngcobo, Ntuzuma

Nothing stringent about parole

The placement of Oscar Pistorius on parole under so-called stringent parole conditions is really baffling.

There is nothing stringent about informing the authorities if you intend to visit another jurisdiction. That is what every parolee does. Taking into consideration the violent circumstances in which his girlfriend was killed, recommending that he undergo anger management was inevitable, because all prisoners sentenced for schedule 6 offences are obliged to attend such.

Even if Reeva Steenkamp’s parents could have objected, like thousands of other victims of crime, to the granting of parole, Pistorius would still have been eligible based on other factors such as good behaviour and being a model prisoner. Didn’t Limpho Hani (Chris Hani’s widow) strenuously oppose the granting of parole to Janusz Walus? The defects in our parole laws can’t be remedied by pretending that victims have the power to decide who gets parole.

There are thousands of inmates in our jails who qualify for parole. Unfortunately, they are destitute and don’t have the resources to take correctional services to court. Unlike Pistorius, they are not going to Waterkloof, they are returning to the same conditions that criminalised them. Junior Mishack Nthane, Pretoria