POLICE MANAGEMENT MUST ACT DECISIVELY ON TSOTSI COPS - MINISTER MTHETHWA
However, SAPS members must not be unfairly tried through ‘media and public disciplinary courts'
PRETORIA - 14 March 2011. No member of the South African Police Service (SAPS) is beyond reproach or above-the-law, irrespective of whatever circumstance they are faced with in the execution of their duties. Equally, police management are duty-bound to ensure officers uphold the principles of Batho Pele at all times.
The Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa reiterated this mandate this morning following weekend reports of alleged acts of police brutality in Hillbrow, Gauteng over the weekend. City Press newspaper reported that members of the SAPS Tactical Response Team unit beat and abused revellers at a nightclub in Hillbrow and apparently this was captured on video which is being circulated (see report)..
The Minister expressed full confidence in the Gauteng police management as they have demonstrated their toughness in rooting out rogue officers in the past months. He said they will thoroughly investigate the incident, the video footage in question as well as draw evidence from eye-witnesses and alleged victims. Whether the police were called to restore order at the club, whether they were investigating crime or whether they abused innocent civilians, the investigation will reveal.
Minister Mthethwa has been consistent in condemning any police brutality. "Our stance as the police leadership is comprehensible: we have never shielded corrupt police officers instead have been leading a campaign to weed out tsotsi-cops. Any such atrocious acts cannot be left unattended."