The IFP demands that the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni must urgently conduct an audit into how many current SAPS employees have criminal offences after a 48-year-old police officer from Zululand has been arrested on numerous charges including armed robbery and the possession of rhino horn.
“It will become increasingly difficult for law-abiding citizens to trust our law enforcers, due to reports that some of them are in cahoots with criminals in various illegal activities. The Commissioner must acknowledge that there are bad cops within the ranks who hinder investigations and stall important work that law enforcers are supposed to carry out. By admitting to that fact, the commissioner should also be bold enough and remove bad cops from the force by ensuring that their cases are fast-tracked in court,” said IFP Leader in the KZN Legislature, Mr Blessed Gwala, MPL.
“All members of the SAPS, including those within its leadership, should be professional police officers who protect South Africans from criminals. They should not and cannot be criminals themselves. We are of the view that recruits that are taken in each year to join the force are eager to do their jobs once they get out of college and the danger is that they can also be tainted if they are allowed to be supervised by corrupt cops,” concluded Mr Gwala.
The IFP will submit parliamentary questions for scrutiny and debate. This is to determine what steps will be taken to prevent criminals infiltrating the police service and ensure that cops who become criminals are immediately dismissed.
Issued by:
Mr Blessed Gwala, IFP Leader in the KZN Legislature, 078 290 5842
For Media Enquiries:
IFP KZN Legislature Media Liaison Officer, Mr Phendulani Biyase, 073 024 5675