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The Citizen reports that civil rights organisation Action Society has joined the chorus of criticism of new Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s budget.
Action Society, whose volunteers assist victims of crime when seeking justice at court, laid into the R2.17 billion set aside for VIP protection services, saying this money could be better spent elsewhere. Last week, Mchunu outlined his department’s safety and security priorities when he presented the 2024/2025 financial year budget in Parliament. He indicated that the SA Police Service (SAPS) has been allocated R113.5 billion, while the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) have received R155.9 million and R370.5 million, respectively. While crime intelligence received R4.74 billion, the police’s protection and security services were allocated a total of R4.09 billion, of which R2.17 billion (53.1%) goes to the VIP protection unit. This is 1.91% of the entire SAPS budget. Action Society condemned the allocation in a statement on Tuesday. “South Africans fear for their lives every day with more than 80 people being killed daily and 135 reported rapes. This money should be spent on keeping South Africans safe, not providing ministers luxury special services at the cost of the taxpayer,” said Action Society’s Juanita du Preez. The National Coloured Congress NCC agreed, saying it could not support a budget that allocates more to the protection of 72 VIPs than to crime intelligence. “It is unthinkable,” NCC leader Fadiel Adams said.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Nicholas Zaal at The Citizen
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