The New South Institute’s (NSI) groundbreaking report, “The Function of the Police: Crime, Social Emergencies, and Disorder“, continues to reverberate through South Africa’s media landscape. Since its official launch on June 14, many noteworthy media platforms have expanded on the report’s crucial findings.

Johannesburg-based commercial FM station, Radio 702, explored the report’s key issues, taking its insights to an extensive listener base. Alongside, Jeremy Maggs of Moneyweb’s Midday tackled the subject head-on during an in-depth conversation with the report’s author, Ivor Chipkin. The feature, titled “Depoliticising SAPS is key to efficient crime fighting,” outlined the report’s key argument, emphasizing the need for removing political interference from police operations.

In addition, Eyewitness News (EWN) focused on the non-partisan approach proposed by the report in an article titled “Politicians must be kept out of police operations, say crime experts”. This coverage echoed the report’s call for political impartiality in police operations and reinforced the importance of the recent public policy discussion initiated by NSI.

Reaching an international audience, the Verified News Explorer Network (VN Explorer) featured the report on its website, highlighting the report’s international relevance and broadening the reach of NSI’s work.

The television network, eNCA, also brought the report’s findings to a wider audience, reinforcing the urgent need for police reform and strengthening the report’s call for depoliticisation within SAPS.

Further demonstrating the report’s importance and the timeliness of the issues it covers, Cape Talk 567 AM’s morning radio show, Views and News with Clarence Ford, invited Ivor Chipkin for a follow-up interview following the initial discussion.

Collectively, these platforms have not only increased the report’s reach, but they have also shone a spotlight on the key issues it addresses. This wide-ranging media coverage has stimulated nationwide dialogue on SAPS reform and further evidences the significant role NSI continues to play in influencing discourse around South African public policy.

The media response and public engagement with “The Function of the Police” report signify the NSI’s commitment to fostering and contributing to public discourse through evidence-based research. As this conversation unfolds, NSI continues its work, ensuring research remains an integral driver of policy reform.