A sustainable governance model for metropolitan policing in South Africa

Date
2008-03
Authors
Scharnick, Colleen Ann
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Having just celebrated ten years of democratic rule, South Africa, as a young democracy, is an emerging country in the international world. It is also emerging, from a history of police brutality in apartheid South Africa, towards embracing human rights, accountability, police-community relations and a people-orientated approach to safety issues. It is this young democratic country that is paving the way for metropolitan policing on the African continent, by setting the example in South Africa. Metropolitan/ Municipal police has found its legislative mandate through the South African Police Amendment Act (Act No. 83 of 1995). It provides an opportunity to enable positioning of local government policing in a manner that will ensure that ‘quality of life’ for all is achieved through effective, efficient and sustainable policing. This study aims to give essence to a governance model as a strategy for sustainable metropolitan policing. The research provided for the following concepts of sustainable governance as a basis or foundation to build metropolitan policing: • Institutional/ Managerial/Leadership/Sustainability; • Political Sustainability; • Representivity; • Development and Growth; • Equitable Allocation and Distribution Resources; • People-centred Approaches; • Democratic Rights; • Professionalism and Ethics; • Financial sustainability; • Effective and Efficient Processes; • Co-ordination and Integration; • Sustainable decision making; • Sustainable results The framework for sustainable governance in Metropolitan Policing is broad and key aspects that influence the main objective of this research, namely co-ordination and integration have been included, for the purpose of this study. The study provides opportunity for deep reflection on how future policing at local government level in this country is structured, shaped and managed. The international basis of the study provides lessons conceptualised within a ‘learning organisation’ context. Metropolitan police services can enrich their organisation through learning from their international counterparts and sister organisations, inclusive of the South African Police Service (SAPS). It is also the relationship with the SAPS that will be the most challenging for the metropolitan police service. A key element that shapes the interaction between the Metropolitan Police organisations and the South African Police Services is based on sharing of policing power and distribution of resources. A sustainable relationship between the SAPS and metropolitan police services is important. It directly impacts on how policing is executed. It also requires consideration when co-ordination and integration processes in metropolitan police organisations are considered. The study aims to prove the importance and necessity of integration and co-ordination; however, it also emphasises the relevance of proper systems, processes and structures within an environment prior to embracing co-ordination and integration initiatives. It binds the concept of co-ordination and integration into all facets of organisational life, arguing the basis for technological assistance to consolidate such transformation. The study brings metropolitan policing into a transit from a ‘local government traffic organisation linked to council policies’ to a modern-day police organisation that embraces the complexities within which such organisations exist, both externally and internally, finding sustainable solutions and strategies for service delivery that fits our young democratic heritage of a single decade. The challenge to shape metropolitan policing to be different from the historic apartheidstyle municipal police force will eventually be a task for leadership of the metropolitan police organisation (across all levels) in its responses to society in terms of service delivery outcomes, which will be determined by how the organisation has shaped its future (vision), what it presents to society in terms of service delivery and the measures taken to achieve sustainability. The latter refers, in principle, and for purposes of this study, to good governance and sustainable development, both of which form the cornerstone of effective and efficient policing.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Teen die agtergrond van die onlangse viering van ‘n dekade van demokrasie, staan demokratiese Suid Afrika as ‘n opkomende land op die wêreldhorison. Die land is ook besig on weg te beweeg vanaf ‘n geskende verlede wat gekenmerk was deur polisiebrutaliteit in apartheid-Suid-Afrika na die omhelsing van menseregte, verantwoordelikheid, polisie-gemeenskaps verhoudinge en ‘n mensgeoriënteerde benadering tot veiligheidsaspekte. Dit is hierdie jong demokrasie wat leiding in Afrika neem met die konsep van metropolitaanse polisiëring. Die Metropolitaanse/ Munisipale polisie verkry wettige bestaansreg in die Suid Afrikaanse Polisie Wysigingswet, (Wet Nr 83 van 1995). Dit voorsien die geleentheid om polisiëring deur middel van plaaslike regering tot reg te laat kom op ‘n manier wat verseker dat “lewenskwaliteit” vir almal deur effektiewe , doeltreffende en volhoubare polisiëring verwesenlik kan word. Hierdie studie beoog om ‘n basis te vind vir volhoubare beheer in metropolitaanse polisiering, te wete deur: • Institutionele / bestuur/ leierskap/ volhoubaarheid; • Politieke volhoubaarheid; • Verteenwoordiging; • Ontwikkeling en groei; • Gelyke verspreiding en toekenning van hulpbronne; • Mens-georiënteerde strategieë; • Demokratiese regte; • Professionalisme en etiek; • Finansiële volhoubaarheid; • Effektiewe en doeltreffende prosesse; • Ko-ordinering en integrasie; • Volhoubare besluitneming; • Volhoubare resultate. Die raamwerk vir volhoubare beheer in metropolitaanse polisiëring is wyd. Kernaspekte wat die hoofdoelwit van hierdie ondersoek affekteer, naamlik ko-ordinering en integrering, word vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie ingesluit om die argument te versterk. Die studie bied geleentheid vir nabetraging oor hoe die toekoms van polisiëring op plaaslike regeringsvlak gestruktureer, geposisioneer en bestuur word. Die internasionale grondslag van die studie bied lesse wat binne ‘n ‘lerende organisasie’ beslag gekry het. Metropolitaanse polisie-organisasies kan hul organisasies bemagtig deur van hul internasionale eweknieë en susterorganisasies soos die nasionale Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens. (SAPD) te leer. Dit is ook die verhouding met die SAPD wat die meeste uitdagings meebring. Naas die verhouding met die publiek, blyk dit die belangrikste te wees as gevolg van die polisiëringsmagte en standaarde wat op beide organisasies van toepassing is. Volhoubaarheid in die verhouding tussen die SAPD en die metropolitaanse polisiedienste is belangrik aangesien dit ‘n direkte impak op dienslewering asook integrasie en ko-ordinering kan hê. Hierdie studie beoog om die belangrikheid en noodsaaklikheid van integrasie en koordinering te toon. Dit beklemtoon egter ook die noodsaaklikheid daarvan dat behoorlike stelsels, prosesse en strukture in organisasies geïmplimenteer word voordat koordinering en intergrasie aangepak word. Die studie verbind die konsepte van koordinering en intergrasie met alle ander fasette van ‘n organisatoriese stelsel, met ‘n sterk fokus op die rol van tegnologie ten einde transformasie te bewerkstellig. Die studie beoog om die transformasie van ‘verkeersdienste-organisasies wat met raadsbeleid skakel’ na ‘n metropolitaanse polisiëringsdiens te vergemaklik, ten einde ‘n moderne organisasie daar te stel wat in staat is om kompleksiteit, as ‘n integrale deel van die interne en eksterne omgewing, deur middel van volhoubare strategieë te bestuur en aan die vereistes van dienslewering in ‘n jong demokrasie van tien jaar te voldoen. Die uitdaging om metropolitaanse polisiedienste in ooreenstemming met hedendaagse demokratiese en konstitutionele beleid te vestig, berus op die leierskap (op alle vlakke) in die organisasie. So ook is daar die verantwoordelikheid om te verseker dat metropolitaanse polisiedienste die diensleweringsuitkomstes behaal deur middel van ‘n volhoubare visie, die tipe en gehalte van dienste wat gelewer word en die prosesse/strategieë wat gevolg word ten einde volhoubaarheid te bereik. Laasgenoemde (volhoubaarheid) verwys, vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie, na goeie beheer en volhoubare ontwikkeling, beide deel van die hoeksteen van effektiewe en doeltreffende polisiëring.
Description
Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2008.
Keywords
Police administration -- South Africa, Community policing -- South Africa, Dissertations -- Public administration, Theses -- Public management and planning
Citation