Thumbs up for Mchunu, Thumbs down for Simelane

After over 100 days in the job, South Africa’s Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has been praised for “really taking on the senior management of the police” instead of attending funerals and saying “outrageous things” like his very unpopular predecessor Bheki Cele. His good report card comes from civil rights organisation Action Society’s Juanita Du Preez. However, she is not handing out any stars to Justice and Constitutional Minister Thembi Simelane, who is also fighting corruption allegations. Du Preez says that cases are staying on the court role for even longer now. She also comments on some of the shock findings in the Auditor General’s latest report on the South African Police Force. Among these is that it takes between eight and 35 minutes for the 10111 number to be answered - if it is answered at all. She further laments the exodus from the police of experienced detectives who cannot possibly manage loads of between 300 and 400 cases each.