Madlanga Commission fallout: new 14-member police council to fix SAPS trust deficit

A new 14-member National Police Advisory Council held its first workshop on Tuesday, tasked with advising the Minister of Police and the National Commissioner as the South African Police Service tries to rebuild public confidence.

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia welcomed the body’s inaugural meeting, saying the urgency of reform is set by high crime levels and by what has emerged at the Madlanga Commission, which he said has further eroded public confidence in the police.

“A light has been cast on the darker side of policing and society. These developments have further deepened the trust deficit between the police and the communities they serve, undermining public confidence in policing,” Cachalia told members.

The Council was recommended in the 2012 National Development Plan. Its members are drawn from law, finance, law enforcement, academia and business. Tuesday’s workshop was held to formally constitute the body, orientate members on its mandate and familiarise them with the Police Reset Agenda and other priorities.

Cachalia put the question of ownership at the centre of the reform programme. “The police service belongs to the people of South Africa, and citizens have a legitimate expectation that the police will serve and protect them. It is against this backdrop that the Police Reset Agenda has become necessary,” he said.

“At its core, the Reset Agenda is a programme of policing reform aimed at reshaping the SAPS to ensure that it delivers on its constitutional mandate, upholds the rule of law and restores public trust.”

The Reset Agenda covers a set of institutional and operational interventions: filling critical vacancies, improving supply chain management processes, strengthening vehicle management, and addressing police infrastructure through the construction of new police stations and the maintenance and upgrading of existing facilities.

What the Council is expected to add is strategic and policy advice to the Minister and the National Commissioner, and support in turning those priorities into tangible improvements in policing and public safety.

“We look forward to the Council’s contribution towards ensuring that the Police Reset Agenda translates into meaningful and measurable improvements in policing and, ultimately, safer communities for all South Africans,” Cachalia said.

The document does not name the Council’s members, set out a work programme, or state how its advice will be measured or reported to the public.

This report is based on the official account published by SAnews (South African Government News Agency) on 28 October 2026: https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/police-advisory-council-support-policing-reforms-and-restore-public-trust