By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
22 July 2025 – The National Assembly (NA) has, during its plenary today, adopted two important reports. The report of the Portfolio Committee on Police on the severe gang violence crisis in the Northern Areas of Nelson Mandela Bay, following a petition submitted by Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL) in the Eastern Cape, Yusuf Cassim, as well as the report of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration concerning unresolved pension claims by former civil servants.
The report of the Portfolio Committee on Police reveals concerning levels of gang-related violence and systemic failures in policing, with 1060 gang-related killings recorded since 2019. This included the tragic deaths of 22 children in the 2023/24 financial year and older persons.
Chairperson of Portfolio Committee on Police, Mr Ian Cameron said among them are the murders of 3-year-old Emilio Hutchinson, 14-year-old Kurtley Roussouw, who was shot while playing soccer and 89-year-old Sophie Erasmus, murdered in her home shortly before her 90th birthday. Cameron said tabling the report the committee said the Northern Areas face a humanitarian crisis requiring immediate and coordinated intervention.
“We acknowledge the resource constraints the South African Police Service (SAPS) are subjected to but stressed that the scale of institutional failure, ranging from under-resourced police stations to allegations of police complicity with gangs, is untenable.
“The committee report also outlines systemic failures, including the collapse of the Anti-Gang Unit due to resignations and under-resourcing, inadequate crime intelligence capacity in the Eastern Cape, and critical shortages of operational vehicles and equipment. It further shows that repeated calls since 2023 for advanced policing technology such as ShotSpotter systems have gone unheeded,” he said.
Cameron further said the committee recommends urgent interventions in the report to address these concerns. He added that among the recommendations is expanding the Anti-Gang Unit by doubling its personnel and experienced detectives.
“It also recommends that modern policing technologies be employed and that strict accountability measures be established for police misconduct. The committee also recommends that the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development be engaged on issues of bail reform for gang-related offences and that an interdepartmental task team be formed to coordinate education, social development and policing strategies,” said Cameron.
The NA has also adopted a report by the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration concerning unresolved pension claims by former civil servants and parastatal employees from the former homelands, Transkei, Bophuthatswana, Venda, and Ciskei. The report provides an update on efforts to resolve long-standing concerns over unpaid pensions and benefits withheld under apartheid-era policies. The matter arose from a petition by affected pensioners who were excluded from these pension payouts.
Following consultations with the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA), National Treasury, the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA), and the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), the GPAA reported that 99.3% of verified eligible cases have now been settled. However, concerns were raised by the Pension Redress Movement regarding insufficient consultation and transparency in the verification process.
To address these issues, the report recommends closer collaboration between government entities and pensioner representatives to ensure accurate verification of outstanding claims, the establishment of a fair and transparent payment process and a follow-up progress report within three months.
The NA’s approval of the report reflects its commitment to resolving this historical injustice and ensuring that all qualifying pensioners receive their due benefits.
The Guardian 