Additional funds for police

292

Minister Bheki Cele’s police service received an additional R3,7 billion thanks to an adjusted budget allocation from National Treasury for the “the visible policing environment which plays a critical role in enforcement of Disaster Management Act regulations” according to Parliament’s police portfolio committee.

“The additional allocation will go a long way to ensuring increased visibility of police, a major deterrent to crime,” a Parliamentary Communication Service statement said adding the increased allocation will strengthen the fight against contact crimes, especially gender-based violence (GBV) which increased since declaration of the lockdown. No mention is made of whether the extra funding was as per an SA Police Service (SAPS) management request to National Treasury or a lesser amount.

Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula’s Department of Defence (DoD) asked the controllers of the government purse for R4,5 billion extra to execute tasks assigned the national defence force as part of  COVID-19 pandemic mitigation measures. It was given R3 billion to cover, among others drugs and laboratory services; personal protective equipment; aircraft charter, main equipment and minor assets.