IPID secures 15 convictions in first quarter, vows to tackle police abuse cases
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) says it is satisfied with its first quarter performance for the 2025/2026 financial year.
The police watchdog recorded 15 criminal convictions for offences, which included rape by police officers, as well as murder, assault and torture.
IPID’s Acting Executive Director, Dr. Hlengani Bila, addressed the Portfolio Committee of Police in parliament on Tuesday on the directorate’s performance for the 2025/2026 financial year.
Bila said the sentencing for the convictions ranged from penalties, a few months imprisonment for assault, eight to twenty-five years for rape by police officers and life sentences for murder.
He said the case intake for quarter one in the current financial year was at 1,171 as compared to 1,361 in the same period of 2024/25.
“The case drivers were assault and torture, death due to police action and the discharge of an official firearm,” said Bila.
“Most of the cases were in our 4 hotspot provinces, namely Western Cape with 213, Gauteng 177, KwaZulu-Natal 161 and Eastern Cape at 138. The province with the least intake is North West with 73 cases.”
IPID also recorded an increase in sexual assault offences by police officers, with 27 reported incidents in the first quarter of 2025/26.
The 2024/2025 financial year recorded 22 sexual assault cases.
Gauteng continues to lead on rape cases, with 5 recorded in the first quarter.
Bila said 36 retired detectives will be appointed for the next three years to investigate and finalise backlog cases.
“To date, ten retired detectives are in the employ of IPID, five will be appointed in this financial year, and the remaining appointments will be finalised in the next financial year.”
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