A high-level investigation has been launched into misconduct by police officials at the Ivory Park police station near Midrand, Gauteng Safety and Security MEC Nomvula Mokonyane said on Monday.
This follows complaints by the public on Friday night and a subsequent impromptu visit to the police station by Mokonyane and Provincial Commissioner Perumal Naidoo.
The visit found only two reservists and two volunteers on duty at the police station. Further investigation led Mokonyane and Naidoo and other high-ranking officers to a policeman’s house in nearby Rabie Ridge where an illegal shebeen was allegedly operating. Four police vehicles were also found near the house.
Several policemen, who were allegedly visiting the shebeen as well as several other patrons, ran away when the MEC and her team arrived at the house.
The policeman’s wife was arrested for illegally selling liquor, but was released later on R300 bail.
On Monday the MEC, Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula, Provincial Commissioner Perumal Naidoo, the North Rand area commissioner Joel Mokoena and other high-ranking police officers met at the Ivory Park police station.
Addressing the media afterwards, Mokonyane said she had received several complaints from the Ivory Park community recently about service at the police station.
”We acted in response to the public outcry,” she said.
Mokonyane said steps would be taken against people who abused government resources and who acted inappropriately.
”Within the SA Police Service no rogue elements will be tolerated.
”I apologise on behalf of the government for what had happened on Friday, but please remember, not all policemen are like that.”
She said in view of criticism that the police did not have enough resources to fight crime properly, it was a pity that misconduct would occur at a police station like Ivory Park, which was new and well resourced.
Naidoo said a special task team had been set up to investigate the incidents at Ivory Park.
”We need to respect the rule of law, but a speedy investigation will be done,” he said.
”We expect a preliminary report in four or five days.”
The task team, which consists of five high-ranking officers from the North Rand police, would investigate allegations that police at Ivory Park came late to work, abused resources, consumed alcohol while on duty and refused to execute lawful orders. The team would also investigate the illegal shebeen.
Naidoo said teams would be set up under the command of senior officers to supervise not only Ivory Park, but also other police stations in the province after hours to see proper service delivery.
Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula said anyone in the SAPS who undermined the work done by the police had no place there.
He said since not all policemen were corrupt, it was necessary for the ”strong” ones to expose the weak spots.
”It is the responsibility of the strong SAPS members to root out the weak elements,” he said.
”We have laws in this country, not only for the public, but also for the government and people who work for the government.”
He said police stations all over the country would be assessed and staff would be redeployment to make sure that there was good management and resources.
The chairman of the North Rand community policing forum, Give Ndlalane, called on the community to continue to expose corrupt elements in the police.
He appealed to the community not to be discouraged by the incidents at Ivory Park and to remember that not all policemen were corrupt.
”We will continue to build good relations with the police,” he said.
”This is not a total picture of the SAPS.”
The policemen allegedly visiting the shebeen on Friday night had not yet been identified. They abandoned the police vehicles at the house when they fled the scene and the investigating team has to established who had signed the vehicles out.
A decision on whether the policemen would be suspended and criminally charged would only be taken once the investigation has been completed. – Sapa