27 officers working in SAPS Crime Intelligence have criminal records

A reply to a parliamentary question by the DA has revealed that 27 officers working in the South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Intelligence division have criminal records, with 20 of them having committed traffic-related offences and the other 7 are serious offences.

Police Minister, Bheki Cele, inherited this problem, but he cannot allow criminals to remain in the SAPS and must account for those found guilty of crimes immediately. Criminals cannot be responsible for keeping our country safe.

This once again highlights a nation-wide problem of police members with criminal records and raises questions about the effectiveness of the police top brass. The fact that the question was not answered in full leads one to wonder what information is being hidden. The DA will ask follow-up questions to elicit more details.

Allowing members with such serious convictions to remain in service is unacceptable and points to a serious failure of leadership which is compromising the fight against crime.

The fact that there’s a dark cloud over the entire SAPS leadership should be a cause for concern for Minister Cele. His sluggish response to the impending SAPS crisis should be viewed as nothing but a tacit  approval and endorsement of the rot and gross mismanagement in the police service.

The DA has relentlessly called on the Minister to ensure an overhaul of the SAPS leadership and the removal of criminal cops to ensure the safety of all South Africans in their homes and in the streets.

Harbouring criminals, especially in the Criminal Intelligence division, shows an ANC government which has no will to fight the high levels of crime by ensuring a professional police service.

The systemic failure of SAPS leadership is disturbing and the need for the SAPS to be professionalised could not be more dire.

Issued by Dianne Kohler Barnard, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Police, 28 May 2018