Statement by Dan Plato, Western Cape Minister of Community Safety
I welcome the arrest of three police officers in Ocean View yesterday for their alleged involvement in criminal activities in January this year and congratulate the provincial SAPS management on following through on their zero tolerance approach to criminality within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The latest arrests bring the total number of South African Police Service (SAPS) members arrested by the Western Cape Anti-Corruption Investigation Unit (WCACIU) to at least 20 over the last three months, since November 2014.
The detection, investigation and arrest of officers within the SAPS send a strong message that crime does not pay, no matter who you are. It also goes a long way to help restore the good name of the police in our communities. The good work done by hardworking and honest police officers who risk their lives on a daily basis to serve and protect our communities are too often tainted by only a few bad apples.
The latest annual report of the SAPS in the province reports that 183 SAPS members were guilty in criminal cases and 44 SAPS members were guilty of corruption or corruption related cases in 2013/14. The last couple of month’s arrests in Parow, Laaiplek, Claremont, Bredasdorp, Atlantis and Steenberg show that while corruption can occur anywhere it will not be tolerated.
The public have to be vigilant in this regard.
I urge communities across the province to continue to identify and speak out about any criminal acts of SAPS members by reporting it to their local police stations.
Members of the public can also alert the newly established office of the police ombudsman of cases for investigation by phone (021 483 0669) or email (ombudsman@westerncape.gov.za). Alternatively, the public can report it to the Department of Community Safety’s policing complaints hotline by sms (‘Report’ to 35395), phone (021 483 4332), or email (policing.complaints@westerncape.gov.za).
The Western Cape Government supports a zero tolerance approach to corruption, in any form. The Watching Briefs unit in the Department of Community Safety will monitor the development of the SAPS corruption cases to ensure that justice is served.
Ewald Botha
Spokesperson
Cell: 079 694 1113