Cape Town – South Africa’s Portfolio Committee on Police has called on the South African Police Service (SAPS) to urgently strengthen training and ensure immediate responses to cases of missing children, expressing concern over continued delays and negligence at police stations.
In a follow-up meeting with the SAPS and the Women Empowerment Platform on violence against children, the committee criticised the persistent disregard of the National Commissioner’s directive that missing persons cases must be acted upon immediately, with no mandatory waiting period.
“What came out of all the cases of missing children is the lethargy that the SAPS at police stations have generally responded when the case is reported,” said committee member Ian Cameron.
“If the SAPS adhered to the directive that there is no waiting time to respond, many of these children could have been found alive.”
Continuous updates
The committee reiterated that members of the public have the right to open a missing person’s report immediately. Any officer who refuses to open a case can be reported, as such conduct directly contravenes national policing directives.
The committee also highlighted serious communication gaps between the police and affected families.
“Continuous updates are necessary to assure communities and families that the SAPS is continuously investigating and that justice will be attained,” the committee noted.
Members expressed frustration over cases being prematurely closed as “undetected”, referencing the case of Mia Botha, which remains unresolved more than 1,000 days after she went missing.
Particular concern was raised over the under-resourcing of the SAPS K9 unit, which the committee believes could have played a critical role in cases such as that of Jayden Lee Meek.
“The continued disregard of this critical capability in the SAPS is illogical and undermines the police’s ability to undertake effective search and rescue missions,” Cameron said.
Miscommunication
Despite its criticisms, the committee welcomed the involvement of civil society, specifically the Women Empowerment Platform, and reaffirmed the importance of a “whole-of-society” approach to combating crime.
“The SAPS alone cannot effectively fight crime,” said Cameron.
Meanwhile, the committee apologised for the miscommunication surrounding its 11 June 2025 meeting, where representatives from the Women Empowerment Platform had planned to appear in person and hand over a memorandum.
The committee acknowledged the breakdown and reaffirmed its shared commitment to prioritising justice in all cases of violence against children.
The committee has committed to further engagements with SAPS leadership to ensure that systemic failures are urgently addressed and that no child’s life is endangered due to procedural negligence.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
