OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 1.30pm.
THE police are losing the battle against crime, Police Services chief executive officer Meyer Kahn conceded on Tuesday as he revealed that he will not be renewing his two-year contract when it expires at the end of July.
Kahn, who has already accepted the chairmanship of South African Breweries in London, said in a radio interview that the South African Police Services has not offered to renew his contract.
Pointing to crime statistics, Kahn said that “the soul of our nation is deeply disturbed” but defended the ability of the SAPS to curb crime. He also defended the police on charges of widespread corruption.
The success of the Anti-Corruption Unit, he said, has given the false impression that corruption is more prevalent among police than in society as a whole.
Kahn asserted that the police today is better managed than it was in July 1997 when he assumed the post.
Senior management has a plan for combatting crime and is qualified to implement it. Whether it has the resources to implement its plan, he said, is another question.
Despite an earlier statement that he would quit his post if he failed, Kahn insisted that he will see his term through to its conclusion.