Rape in police custody, rape by a police officer, torture and assault, death in police custody, deaths as a result of police action and corruption are among the allegations against more than 5 700 police officers in disciplinary cases brought by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the current financial year.
Lt-Gen Lineo Ntshiea told parliament’s portfolio committee on police that of the 4 087 cases reported during the 2020/2021 financial year (involving 5 708 members), 686 were Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) cases involving 1 270 members, according to TimesLive.
According to IPID’s 2019 report, in the previous year there were 393 deaths as a result of police action, 214 deaths in police custody and 4 105 allegations of police brutality. Furthermore there were 124 allegations of rape by police officials, including 13 in police custody.
The Free State recorded the most cases, followed by Gauteng and the Western Cape.
IRR analysts point to the high rates of criminality in the police as a key part of South Africa’s serious crime problem, and that this, rather than curbing gun-owners’ rights, is where the focus of government efforts should be.
Instead, however, the government’s Firearms Control Amendment Bill proposes “to provide that no firearm licences may be issued for self-defence purposes”.
The IRR argues that the government and police force should work to regain the trust of South Africans by addressing the corruption, mismanagement and irregularities in their ranks. As importantly, they should work with South Africans to promote security in the country, rather than criminalising and threatening the civil liberties of law-abiding citizens.
The IRR is driving a lobby to stop the draft legislation that will ban guns for self-defence and needs your help. You can submit this letter opposing the draft amendment to the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service (CSPS) here.
[Illustrative image | Sources: Gallo Images | William McIntosh | Adobe Stock | Wikimedia]