The reports were released by the two chapter 9 institutions after unrest in KwaZuluNatal and Gauteng in July 2021. It found four central issues: The social, economic, spatial and political factors prevalent in the affected areas and the extent to which these played a role in the unrest; The causes of alleged racially motivated attacks and killings; The causes of the apparent lapses in law enforcement by state security agencies, particularly the SAPS, and the role of private security companies in the unrest; and The causes of the unrest, with particular focus on Gauteng and KwaZuluNatal. Commissioner Philile Ntuli said a combination of factors might have caused the shortcomings in the SAPS. Evidence pointed to underresourcing and lack of capacity in crime intelligence. "There's also been a breakdown in communication in the police between crime intelligence, the national commissioner and the minister of police." Evidence pointed to a need for urgent improvement in SAPS and crime intelligence structures to address failures and show accountability to restore public trust. She said the state response to the unrest in both provinces could have been improved by better communication, coordination and planning at senior management level In response to the report, national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola said some of the recommendations had been implemented since 2021. This included the increase in the number of police officers and improving the working environment of crime intelligence.

Source: TimesL1VE