Help for Congolese cops

The South African Police Service (SAPS) is helping the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) develop its policing system through a multi-million dollar training programme. The 10-year Development Assistance Programme is currently in its first phase, which kicked off in July this year and will run until the DRC goes to polls next year, according to SAPS programme manager Jap Burger. The estimated budget for the first two phases of the three-phase project is about US $36.9 million. Burger said funding was being discussed with various donors, but operational funding was currently being provided by the SAPS budget. Over 100 members of the DRC national police have so far received training. "As a country which, itself, had to go through this process 10 years ago, South Africa understands the regional challenges of a young democracy in transition, of establishing a police service in a community which views policing as an instrument of abuse, and the challenges of having to combat crime with limited resources," Burger commented. The DRC suffered five years of conflict between government forces, supported by Angola, Namibia and Zimbabwe, against rebels backed by Uganda and Rwanda until the formation of a transitional government in 2003.