PRETORIA, Gauteng — A severe crisis in housebreaking crime reporting and public confidence in police has been laid bare by the latest Stats SA Governance, Public Safety and Justice survey for 2025/2026. While housebreaking remains the most prevalent household crime in the country, a staggering 52% of victims are choosing not to report the incidents, citing a fundamental belief that law enforcement will not take meaningful action.
According to Willem Els, Senior Coordinator at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), this widespread under-reporting is a direct symptom of collapsing public trust. Recent data indicates that just over 20% of the population currently holds any confidence in the police, creating a vicious cycle where victims see no practical value in engaging with the criminal justice system.
Els emphasized that the issue is both a confidence crisis and a policing competency problem. The registration of crimes and subsequent investigations are frequently perceived—and often operate in reality—as unsatisfactory and ineffective.
“When a legitimate complainant lays a complaint, they often do not receive respect or competence,” Els explained. He highlighted a troubling procedural trend where officers immediately ask victims if they are insured. If the answer is yes, police reportedly cease detailed note-taking, issue a case number, and quietly close or file the case within days without any further investigative action.
To reverse this damaging trend, Els argues that reform must begin at the station level with strict consequence management for station commissioners. He urged that internal inspections should move beyond superficial crime statistics to evaluate the broader operational picture, focusing heavily on officer training, resource allocation, and professional attitude.
While acknowledging the systemic resource limitations faced by the South African Police Service (SAPS), Els pointed out that effective, confidence-building policing is still achievable. In certain well-managed precincts, first responders successfully secure crime scenes and promptly engage specialized support services, such as the criminal record center for fingerprinting and evidence collection.
However, the overarching statistical reality remains grim. Els noted that the end-to-end crime detection and conviction rate currently sits at a mere 12%. This means that out of all crimes committed, only a small fraction result in an arrested, investigated, and successfully sentenced perpetrator, a reality that continuously fuels public disillusionment.
The ISS coordinator also referenced the ongoing revelations at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, noting that the systemic loopholes and administrative failures unearthed at the police station level provide stark context to the current crisis. He expressed hope that the commission’s findings will finally drive the closure of these operational gaps, forcing the accountability needed to restore faith in the national justice system.
