Season 1
When Duty Calls - formerly known as Police File - is a South African crime prevention actuality programme produced by the South African Police Service (SAPS), the SABC and Primedia in which the SAPS call on citizens to help solve outstanding crimes.
Senior Superintendent Tumi Golding, the police National Spokesperson for Crime Intelligence and Interpol, is the host of the show.
When Duty Calls premiered on SABC2 on Monday 12 October 2009, at 18h00. New episodes air weekly and are half an hour in length.
Synopsis
Announced on Thursday 8 October 2009 by the Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa; his deputy, Fikile Mbalula; National Police Commisioner Bheki Cele and the management of the SABC and Primedia, the programme aims to emphasize the government's strategy of fighting crime by establishing partnerships within communities.
The original Police File - which aired in the 1980s and 1990s - had a success rate of 60% in closing unfinished cases. It was brought back in 2003 but a difficult timeslot (11h30) meant it was never as successful as the original series.
When Duty Calls is an attempt to reignite the success of the programme.
The programme screens information about serious crimes, wanted and missing persons and urges the public to come forward with information about dangerous crimes.
Deputy Police Minister, Fikile Mbalula, said the true measure of success would be based on how When Duty Calls contributes to the decrease in crime and not just in the number of viewers.
"It should become a beacon of hope to vulnerable persons who have not seen their loved ones, while instilling fear in criminals. This is the kind of reflection we would like to see," he said at the programme launch.