Police Minister Fikile Mbalula on Wednesday announced the new #MyPoliceStation initiative where the public can now report negligent or careless policing.
Mbalula has given the public permission to send direct messages to him if they fear any kind of victimisation from the police officers they have reported.
However, he warned the public not to abuse this platform.
The decision to start this initiative was prompted by an incident where Constable LC Phaswane of Sandton police station used state resources to deal with her personal issues while ignoring people who came to report crime.
Here's why this new system is needed:
1. Police need to be held accountable and this platform helps to do so. Since the launch of this initiative, many Twitter users have already taken to social media to expose police officers who are not doing their jobs.
2. It can help in strengthening ties between South Africans and the police. "Our people deserve better, and we will do our best to deliver the best service, we have no time to waste. #MyPoliceStation." the minister said.
3. Social media is the best place to get South Africans to report crime as they spend hours tweeting and posting on Facebook. About 7.7 million people were recorded to have been on Twitter by August 2016 while Facebook has attracted over 25% of people, according to Fin24.