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Panel says fair treatment makes people trust police

Published

Speakers at the Institute for Security Studies' evidence-based policing conference in Cape Town said people cooperate more with police they believe are fair. Panellists also said communities have lost trust in police in recent months.

Andrew Faull, head of operational support at the City of Cape Town's safety and security directorate, spoke on the panel. He said people are generally unsatisfied with police the world over, because they call police when bad things happen to them. He also said community policing forum members judge police more favourably than the general public.

Sebastian Abrahams, deputy chairperson of the Western Cape Provincial Community Policing Forum Board, said communities lost a lot of trust in recent months. He blamed service delivery problems, slow response times and a lack of resources. He said trust would improve if police treated everyone fairly.

David Bruce of the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) also sat on the panel. Diketso Mufamadi-Mathebula, an ISS project manager, moderated it.

Criminologist Irvin Kinnes spoke on the Madlanga Commission. He said it is in its final stretch and that its report, expected in January, will be a watershed moment. He also said elections, political killings and violence will strain police resources.

Key facts

Who
Andrew Faull (head of operational support at the City of Cape Town's safety and security…); Sebastian Abrahams (deputy chairperson of the Western Cape Provincial Community Policing Forum…); David Bruce (senior consultant for the ISS's justice and violence prevention programme…); Diketso Mufamadi-Mathebula (project manager at the ISS; moderator)
What
At an ISS conference panel on trust in the police in Cape Town, speakers said fair treatment builds trust and cooperation. Separately, former deputy national commissioner Shadrack Sibiya was denied bail in the Randburg Magistrate's Court on charges including sexual grooming and rape.
When
20 October 2026
Where
Cape Town, Randburg
Status
Reported

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