Stricter disciplinary measures needed to curb SAPS wrongdoing, says expert
Disciplinary hearings involving members of the South African Police Service have dropped by more than 70% in the past 11 years.
This is according to policing and security expert Johan Burger.
The African Transformation Movement has raised concern over what it called the constant revelations of rampant corruption within the SAPS.
It said the Independent Independent Police Investigative Directorate reported 177 active corruption cases against police officials in the 2022/2023 reporting year.
It pointed to the fact that public trust in the police is at an all-time low, with significant portions of the population expressing little to no confidence in SAPS’s ability to uphold the law impartially.
In a separate incident, the DA questioned the lack of action taken against the Ekurhuleni metropolitan police Department deputy head, Julius Mkhwanazi, amid allegations of fraud and corruption.
According to the DA, Mkhwanazi has instead been promoted to the role of acting chief.
The incumbent, Isaac Mapiyeye, has been suspended pending an investigation into allegations of sexual assault.
“It is in particular since between 2017 and 2019, when there was a clear drop think by 50% in that year alone that, as far as disciplinary hearings are concerned, with a slight increase in the past two financial years,” Burger said
Burger believes there is a need to strengthen disciplinary processes in order to curb wrongdoing in the SAPS.
He said that while the police do have vetting processes when recruiting new members, it is being undone by corruption.
“For other issues like corruption, I think the police have a relatively well-functioning anti-corruption unit in place. But clearly, it needs more resources.”
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