The DA is alarmed by the findings of the 2025/26 First Quarter Financial Analysis Report for KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN) Department of Community Safety and Liaison, which reveal a disturbing pattern of underspending and administrative inefficiencies, threatening the safety and well-being of communities across our province.
According to the report, the department spent only 16.87% of its allocated budget in the first quarter – well below the 25% straight-line benchmark expected for effective quarterly performance.
This shortfall is not just a technical issue, it reflects a failure to deliver critical services in a province grappling with high crime rates, strained police resources and growing public fear and anxiety over safety.
The following areas are of particular concern;
- Zero expenditure on infrastructure, including office leases for district safety operations, a failure attributed to delays in invoice submissions by the National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI). Despite this, no contingency measures appear to have been taken to lessen the impact resulting in a paralysis in operational readiness and service delivery
- A dismal 10.9% expenditure under Goods and Services, covering essential functions such as fleet services, security, training and communication. This is unacceptable in a province where community-police relations and crime prevention initiatives are desperately needed and the DA will demand clarity on stalled service delivery projects and the impact on vulnerable communities and;
- Zero expenditure on Transfers and Subsidies to Municipalities, which cater for motor vehicle licences, another critical operational component. The absence of any explanation for this lapse is indicative of poor planning and a lack of accountability.
While the department achieved 82% of its performance indicator targets, the DA questions the credibility of these achievements in light of the financial underperformance.
Notably, key targets were missed in Programme 2: Provincial Secretariat for Police, including the number of dockets investigated and the functionality of Community Safety Forums (CSFs). These failures directly undermine the province’s ability to monitor police performance and engage communities in safety initiatives.
The DA calls on KZN Premier, Thami Ntuli, as the department’s executive authority, to urgently address the systemic issues highlighted in this report. In particular, the following must be addressed;
- A full audit of unfilled posts and the recruitment delays
- The resolution of invoice submission bottlenecks with the DPWI
- Fast-tracking of service delivery projects and infrastructure spending and;
- Transparent reporting on the impact of underspending on community safety outcomes.
KZN’s people deserve a government that prioritises their safety – not one that allows bureaucratic inaction to compromise lives. As a committed partner within KZN’s Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), the DA will continue to hold this department accountable and push for reforms to ensure that every rand allocated is spent effectively and responsibly.