Strengthening of SAPS recruitment leads to arrest of officials

17 Jun 2014

As part of professionalising the South African Police Service (SAPS), the National Commissioner of the SAPS, General Riah Phiyega, has approved changes to the recruitment strategy of entry level constables to ensure that only the best suited candidates are allowed into the SAPS.

The following changes have been introduced: 

Community consultation

A community-orientated recruitment and selection process, intended to eliminate risks in terms of corruption, nepotism, discrimination and applicants being recruited with:

• previous convictions / cases pending;
• fraudulent qualifications;
• promises made for employment in return for favours (eg: selling of jobs).       

Local community based organisations such as Community Policing Forums, schools and churches are consulted with regards to applicants who are to be enlisted before a final decision is taken as to their eligibility.

Publishing of names

Publishing the names of candidates in the local media for public scrutiny. The community is afforded the opportunity to comment on the enlistment of the said applicants who are provisionally recommended for possible enlistment.

Grooming camp

As part of the final selection process, prospective applicants complying with all criteria will undergo a final selection by means of a "Grooming Camp" where the cream of the crop will be selected. Activities at the grooming camp will include, but are not limited to, driving proficiency, vetting, integrity testing, fitness assessments, verbal communication and written assessments.

Presentation of trainees to community

Successful candidates will be presented to the community in the form of a parade, before reporting to the SAPS Training Academies. The community will be afforded the opportunity to give inputs.

In addition to this, General Phiyega set up a special task team to investigate corruption in the recruitment process. Led by Major General Theko Pharasi, the team on Friday, 13 June 2014, arrested five (5) people including members of the SAPS during raids in Eldorado Park, Orlando, Soshanguvhe, Mokopane (Limpopo) and the Tshwane Police Academy. 

They will be charged with corruption, money laundering and racketeering when they appear in the Protea Magistrate Court today Tuesday, 17 June 2014.

Those arrested from within police ranks are a colonel from Eldorado Park, a warrant officer who is an instructor at the Tshwane Police Academy and a sergeant from Kliptown. The other two suspects are members of the public, one of whom is from the Rietgat police station's Community Policing Forum.

These arrests are the second phase of the investigation. The team initially focused on Gauteng province and they will now extend their investigations to other provinces.

In October last year, 6 suspects were arrested. They were civilian employees of the SAPS. Criminal proceedings against them are continuing at the Protea Regional Court.Their next appearance is on 16 September 2014.

The suspects form part of a syndicate and they allegedly abused their positions of authority to enrich themselves by accepting money and other valuables from members of the public who wanted to join the South African Police Service. The syndicate members would personally accept money or use agents to accept money from the victims.

The victims would either pay personally or use the money market at Checkers/Shoprite. In other instances the amounts involved, sometimes thousands of rand, would be paid in cash or in installments. Other valuables used as payment included live stock.

Investigations are still continuing and more members of the SAPS will be arrested.

David Phakisi (32), Grace Mashiane (53), Portia Makitla (31), Onica Phiri (34), Thembeni Dube (44) and Bhekuzulu Mnyandu (49) are already facing criminal charges for corruption at the Protea Regional Court. Mnyandu, a lieutenant colonel, is on suspension, as well as Phakisi, and Mashiane resigned from the service. Internal investigations against Dube, Makitla and Phiri are continuing.

Police believe that there are still members of the public or even employees of the South African Police Service who are victims of this recruiting scam. Anyone with information in this regard may contact crime stop at 08600 10111 at all hours. Information will be treated confidentially.

General Phiyega congratulated the Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, General Lesetja Mothiba, for the sterling work he had done in guiding the investigation team. She further praised the investigation team for their swift action and dedication to their work.

As a leadership team, we are serious about removing corrupt elements within the SAPS. Difficult as it may be, we will not hesitate to arrest our own members. We will avail the necessary resources to the team to get to the bottom of the allegations. All identified members in the recruitment scandal will be arrested and will also have disciplinary action taken against them.

We urge members of the community and those in the police with any information to come forward in order for us to rid the police of criminal elements, General Phiyega concluded. 

Statement issued by Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini, South African Police Service, June 17 2014

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