Democratic Alliance MP Roy Jankielsohn on Monday pledged to challenge Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula in Parliament to explain the high number of suspects escaping from police custody.
Jankielsohn said in a statement that Nqakula must account for the high number of escapees.
A total of 3 260 suspects escaped from police custody between April 2002 and March 2003, an average of 272 per month. Only 1 130, or 36%, were re-arrested. Police press releases indicate that another 229 suspects escaped between January and June 2004, he said.
”It is the duty of minister Nqakula and his department to protect ordinary South Africans against criminals and to ensure that arrested suspects do not escape from police custody,” Jankielsohn said.
He added: ”I will challenge minister Nqakula in Parliament to explain why so many suspects have been able to escape. I will also ask him whether any possible police complicity is being investigated — it is reported that at least 394 police officers faced disciplinary hearings relating to the escapes.”
Jankielsohn illustrated the situation by referring to a recent incident in the Free State town of Reits where an awaiting-trial prisoner attacked and shot two police officers with a service pistol before escaping from the police compound.
He said that the situation is clearly out of control and requires urgent attention from the minister.
Many of these escapees were arrested for violent crimes such as murder and rape and their escapes posed a grave danger to the public, Jankielsohn added.
Nqakula should ensure that immediate steps are taken to prevent any further escapes. In many cases suspects are able to escape due to a shortage of police personnel or inadequate training or resources.
The public deserves to be protected from these suspects, and the suspects, in turn, deserve to be behind bars, said Jankielsohn. — Sapa