SAPS Unveils Emergency Call Centre Overhaul Plan Amid Criticisms of Inefficiency

In a critical move to enhance public safety and trust, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has acknowledged the shortcomings of its 10111 emergency call centres and initiated a recovery plan. The 10111 Reform Project Plan, set in motion with the assistance of the Project Management Office under the South African Presidency, targets the upliftment of functionality across all emergency response platforms within the police service.

The drastic intervention resonates with the growing disquiet among officials and the public alike, regarding the prevailing state of emergency call centres. These centres serve as vital communication nodes for citizens caught in potentially life-threatening situations, and their efficacy is a cardinal element to combating the high crime rates South Africa grapples with.

Bethuel Nkuna, president of the Independent Policing Union of South Africa, chastised the SAPS management for their apparent disregard in addressing the dire situations of these call centres. His statements highlight a distressing scenario whereby under-resourced "skeleton staff" are inundated with calls from people needing urgent assistance.

This plight of inadequate staffing is not a recent development, as pointed out by Nkuna. The issues date back to 2016, putting into stark perspective the historical negligence towards a system designed to serve those in peril. The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union, through spokesperson Richard Mamabolo, concurs with this sentiment and plans to scrutinize the conditions at these centres closely.

ActionSA, represented by Lerato Ngobeni, has been openly critical, especially towards Police Minister Bheki Cele, casting doubt on his capability to adequately resolve the crisis. The party had already flagged the emergency centres' failures to respond to millions of calls — an unfathomable failing for a system that should provide instantaneous support.

There is a palpable fear that the deteriorating state of the 10111 services, as IFP's KZN provincial spokesperson for Community Safety and Liaison, Blessed Gwala outlines, could exacerbate the high crime rates, leaving vulnerable citizens without recourse in emergencies like break-ins, murders, and assaults.

Nevertheless, the SAPS, through national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, has shown intent to address these grave concerns. In the Midrand area, during the peak of December 2023, an impressive number of calls were fielded, with only a fraction relating directly to police matters. To boost capacity, over five hundred newly trained constables have been distributed among the 10111 call centres nationally.

In response to the massive operational demands and the challenges presented by load shedding, the SAPS Technology Management Services Division is deploying additional backup power solutions ensuring uninterrupted radio and telephone communications.

SAPS's vigorous overhaul, conclusively if executed effectively, could significantly ameliorate the emergency response received by South Africans in their most vulnerable moments.