VIP Protection Increases to R1.7bn, Opposition Rejects Police Budget
- The police have released their proposed budget and it has not been met with positive feedback
- VIP protection has been increased to a whopping R1.7 billion while other entities have taken some cuts
- Opposition parties have opposed this budget and called on the state to change and redirect the funds
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The police have proposed an increase of their VIP protection budget to R1.7 billion and the opposition parties have rejected it.
Speaking at the National Assembly on Thursday, Police Minister Bheki Cele tabled the police force’s R96.3 billion budget.
Source: Instagram
The minister said that there was a projected decreased in expenditure from R99.6 billion in 2020/21 to R97.1 billion in 2023/24. However these figures were not met with positive feedback from opposition parties.
Democratic Alliance member of Parliament (MP) Andrew Whitfield said the VIP budget of over R1 billion should be cut in half and the money redirected.
African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) leader Kenneth Meshoe also rejected the budget. He criticised the fact that crime prevention funding was being cut while VIP protection increased.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) also expressed similar sentiments as the other parties, saying that they have lost trust in the police force.
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Meanwhile, Briefly News reported that national Police Minister Bheki Cele announced that the murder rate in South Africa has increased at an alarming rate. Cele says 4 976 people were murdered in SA between January and March.
Speaking today, Friday, 14 March, Cele revealed that the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal have seen their murder rates increase by double digits.
Cele highlighted that many of these were by people the victims knew and trusted.
“Unfortunately 1 327 people died in the places of residence of either the victim or the perpetrator, including the homes of family, friends and neighbours. In some instances these people could have had some kind of domestic relationship,” Cele said.
Cele went on to divulge that 2 378 people were killed in public places, including streets, open fields, recreational parks, beaches and abandoned buildings.
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Source: Briefly News
