Chairperson, because this speaks directly to the mental health of our officers, I find myself rather taken aback by the Minister when he says that he is quite happy to leave counselling as an option. It is international best practice to make psychological counselling an order. If it were compulsory for every SAPS member to have psychological debriefing after a traumatic event, like a shooting, killing or a clean-up, then there could be no fear of it at all.
Over the years I have requested time and again that professional counselling be made mandatory for all our SAPS members. I would like a direct answer from the Minister. Will he or will he not make it mandatory for all members who have been in a traumatic incident to have psychological debriefing? We can try to avoid the horrendous events when an SAPS member murders himself or herself and their entire family.