Prioritise safety above austerity cuts

When Mkhwanazi declares that "the population of KZN is growing, but the number of police officers is going down, thanks to the unions," he fundamentally misunderstands or deliberately obscures the true dynamics at play. Trade union leader Zwelinzima Vavi's response cuts to the heart of the matter: "Budget cuts, not wage demands, are the real crisis." The South African Federation of Trade Unions' general secretary correctly identifies that the South African Police Service operates at approximately one officer per 423 citizens, falling catastrophically short of global benchmarks.