Umndeni Fingerprint Zone-Background screening and employee vetting

06/05/2026

Only 1 in 14 murders are detected at SA’s highest-crime police stations. That means 93% of murders are not detected at the 35 top crime stations in South Africa.

A murder case does not begin and end with the crime scene.

It must move from the scene, to evidence, to a suspect, to prosecution, to conviction.

That is why detection rates matter.

The detection rate is an indication of successful investigations achieved in respect of the SAPS's active investigative workload, which consists of new crimes reported to the SAPS as well as older cases that have not been finalised but are carried over from previous financial years.

The detection rate measures the ability of the SAPS to solve crimes during investigation.

The SAPS views a successful investigation as one that has resulted in the positive identification, arrest and charging of a perpetrator, cases that are withdrawn by the complainant before a perpetrator is charged, and cases where the public prosecutor declines to prosecute ('nolle prosequi' decisions), as well as unfounded cases.

It is not the same as a conviction rate.

A conviction rate tells us what happens later in court. A detection rate tells us whether SAPS got the investigation to the point where a suspect was identified and linked to the offence.

If a murder case is not detected, it often means no suspect, no prosecution, no conviction, and no justice for the victim’s family.

In response to my parliamentary question, SAPS provided the 2024/25 murder detection rates for the Top 35 high-contact crime stations.

Across these 35 stations, the average murder detection rate was only 7.32%.

That means only about 7 out of every 100 murder cases were detected.

Put differently, only about 1 in 13.7 murders were detected.

So it is not even 1 out of 10. It is worse.

Some of the lowest murder detection rates were:

Jeppe, 1.44%

Nyanga, 1.49%

Johannesburg Central, 1.87%

Hillbrow, 2.54%

Diepsloot, 3.11%

Mfuleni, 3.48%

Alexandra, 3.51%

Umlazi, 3.59%

Harare, 3.71%

Khayelitsha, 4.19%

These are some of the communities most affected by violent crime, gang violence, firearm-related crime and deep public fear.

The point is simple: if murder detection collapses, justice collapses.

Visible policing is important. Operations are important. Arrests are important.

But if murders are not properly investigated and detected, violent offenders remain in communities and families are left with silence.

SAPS also confirmed that it has not yet conducted an internal correlation analysis between equipment shortages and detection rates.

Detectives cannot investigate murder properly without vehicles, phones, computers, forensic support, crime intelligence, functioning ICT systems, proper docket management and prosecution-led case building.

If SAPS wants to speak about intelligence-led policing, it must be able to show how it is improving detection rates at the stations where murder is most concentrated.

It is a justice system that failed before the courtroom was even reached.

Need I start again on why expansion of police power to competent local and provincial authorities is so important. Imagine if the City of Cape Town could be the ultimate force multiplier and start investigating gang related gun offences in the Cape Flats?

Not only would it lessen the burden on the SAPS, but we will actually be able to see workable intervention.
IC

21/04/2026

More than half of SA’s teachers have not been vetted against the list of delinquents who appear in the National S*x Offender Registry (NSOR).

04/03/2026

Fast and efficient, every time

24/01/2026

State opposes his latest “Stalingrad tactics”

23/01/2026

22/01/2026

08/12/2025

Festive Season Reminder for Employers

As the holiday rush approaches, many businesses bring in temporary staff to help meet demand.
But remember — always screen and vet your temporary hires.

Even though they may only be with you for a short period, the damage caused by unvetted staff can last far longer than their contracts.

Protect your business, your customers, and your reputation by making thorough background checks a non-negotiable part of festive recruitment.

19/11/2025

Imprisonment of former CFO who secured R3 Million job using fraudulent papers welcomed
By Masabata Mkwananzi, The Star (Nov 18, 2025)

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has welcomed the sentencing of former North West Development Corporation (NWDC) chief financial officer Kudakwashe Mpofu, whose rise to one of the province’s most powerful financial posts was built on fraud.

Mpofu, 33, was sentenced by the Molopo Specialised Commercial Crimes Court to three years’ direct imprisonment after admitting he used a fake South African permanent residence permit to secure employment at the state-owned entity.

He also received an additional three-year suspended sentence.

According to reports, Mpofu first joined the NWDC in 2021 as an asset manager after submitting falsified documents during the recruitment process. He was later promoted to CFO in June 2023, a role that put him in charge of managing millions in public funds.

Prosecutors told the court that investigations by the Hawks confirmed the permit he used had never been issued by Home Affairs.

Over the course of his employment, Mpofu earned more than R3 million, and he pleaded guilty to both counts of fraud.

Reacting to the ruling, DA spokesperson on Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism (DEDECT) in the North West, Jóhni Steenkamp, said the sentence reflects the seriousness of Mpofu’s actions and the damage done to public institutions.

He stressed that this was not a simple oversight but a “deliberate deception” that allowed an unqualified candidate to control a key financial portfolio.

“Fraud at such a senior level of public administration cannot be treated lightly,” Steenkamp said. He added that the case points to a deeper systemic failure within the NWDC.

“Mpofu did not appoint himself. Someone in authority approved his appointment without conducting due diligence, and that individual remains within the system,” he added.

Steenkamp said this failure highlights possible weaknesses, or negligence, within the NWDC’s human resources, verification processes, and oversight structures.

He noted that earlier this year, the DA formally requested that the MEC for Economic Development disclose the vetting procedures for senior appointments across provincial entities — but the department has not responded.

“This silence speaks volumes,” he said.

17/11/2025

Stay alert and be careful of what you do on social media. The wrong post or response at the wrong time could ruin your life

16/11/2025

Most employers don’t realise there’s a big difference between a criminal record check and a police clearance certificate.

A police clearance is mainly required for visa applications or employment outside South Africa.

A criminal record check, done using fingerprints, is usually sufficient for local employment, has a much faster turnaround time, and is often more cost-effective.

Make sure you’re requesting the right check for your needs. ✔️