SAPS’ COSTLY RESTRUCTURING

This monograph assesses the capacity of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Combating Units (CCUs) to manage protest marches and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, specifically focusing on units in Gauteng. It examines the impact of multiple structural reorganisations, the role of metro police and private security, and the legislative framework provided by the Regulation of Gatherings Act.

• The 2006 SAPS restructuring significantly reduced the manpower of public order policing in Gauteng, collapsing seven Area Crime Combating Units (ACCUs) into three Crime Combating Units (CCUs). This resulted in a reduction from 1,383 operational members to 614, with 769 members redeployed to police stations.
• The 2006 restructuring created severe logistical and operational challenges, including extensive commuting for members and a diminished capacity to manage crowds. For example, a gathering of 2,000 people that previously required a full platoon of 36 members is now managed by a 'section' of approximately 10 members.
• In-service training for CCU members has largely come to a standstill following the 2006 restructuring due to manpower shortages and high workloads, leading to a gradual erosion of specialist skills.
• Operation Trio, a three-month crime prevention operation starting in February 2007, further strained public order capacity by redeploying almost all CCU operational members to priority police stations, leaving only unit commanders and support staff to handle crowd management.
• The Regulation of Gatherings Act (Act 205 of 1993) is considered useful but outdated. Specific challenges include an unrealistically short notice period for applications (between 7 days and 48 hours before an event) and a lack of defined ratios for marshals to participants.
• There is a problematic relationship and lack of coordination between SAPS CCUs and the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD). CCU members perceive metro officers as being 'trigger-happy' and failing to comply with the Regulation of Gatherings Act, while some metro officers view CCUs as too lenient.
• For the 2010 FIFA World Cup, a division of labour was established where private security companies are responsible for 80% of the inner perimeter of stadiums, while law enforcement agencies (CCUs) handle the remaining 20% and 80% of the outer and city perimeters.
• The author strongly recommends that SAPS management reassess the 2006 restructuring and revert to a more decentralised structure of seven Provincial Public Order Policing Units in Gauteng, accountable to the provincial police office.

APA

OMAR, B. (2007). SAPS’ COSTLY RESTRUCTURING. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/M138FULL.PDF

Chicago

OMAR, BILKIS. SAPS’ COSTLY RESTRUCTURING. Institute for Security Studies, 2007. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/M138FULL.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=OMAR |first1=BILKIS |title=SAPS’ COSTLY RESTRUCTURING |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=October 2007 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/M138FULL.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{omar2007saps, author = {OMAR, BILKIS}, title = {{SAPS’ COSTLY RESTRUCTURING}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2007}, month = oct, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/M138FULL.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }