Three arrested for SAPS job fraud

A 39-year-old security guard at the SAPS head office in Pretoria was arrested after allegedly promising people jobs in the police for a fee of between R2000 and R5000, spokesman Lt-Gen Solomon Makgale said.

 

She worked with two men, one a Tshwane municipality electrical contractor, the other unemployed.

 

"Both these men allegedly impersonated police officers, using the rank of captain and several falsified surnames, and also allegedly misled young hopefuls into believing that if they paid the stipulated amount of money, they would secure employment in the SAPS," Makgale said.

 

The three also allegedly promised a school that they would help erase its utility bill, owed to the Tshwane municipality, for a fee.

 

A task team, set up by police commissioner Riah Phiyega last year to probe recruitment fraud in the SAPS, arrested the three.

 

They are expected to appear in the Pretoria Regional Court on Monday.

 

Makgale said this brought the number of people arrested for recruitment fraud and corruption to 18.

 

Twelve of these people were SAPS employees -- five of them police officers, the other seven civilians.

 

Eight of the 18 people arrested were from the Soweto police station. Those arrested include Benoni cluster commander, Brigadier Vuyokazi Ndebeni. She allegedly used her position as chairperson of a selection panel to include recruits who did not meet SAPS selection criteria on a list of candidates.

 

She would be back in court on charges of fraud and corruption on January 19.

 

 

(File photo: Gallo Images)