Report lifts lid on police brutality

240811 The drunk Grade 11 pupil at Jabulani Technical High School at the back of a police van. He was so drunk he could not sit or talk properly after going on a drinking spree with some friends minutes before he went to school. Picture: Ziphozonke Lushaba

240811 The drunk Grade 11 pupil at Jabulani Technical High School at the back of a police van. He was so drunk he could not sit or talk properly after going on a drinking spree with some friends minutes before he went to school. Picture: Ziphozonke Lushaba

Published Feb 1, 2016

Share

Johannesburg - The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has presented another damning report against the police in Parliament over the high number of cases of rape, murder and corruption brought against them.

The report, to be discussed by Parliament on Tuesday, has listed more than 2 700 cases of misconduct against the police, including more than 100 murders, more than 60 rapes and hundreds of cases of assault.

KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng top the list of provinces with the highest number of cases.

There is a huge number of assault cases against the police, totalling 1 745.

“Most of the cases reported are allegations of assault, followed by cases of complaints of the discharge of a firearm, death as a result of police action and death in police custody,” Ipid said.

The report pointed out that there were 159 deaths as a result of police action in 2014/15, with 103 deaths in police custody in the year under review.

Out of the 159 deaths as a result of police action, 48 occurred in KZN followed by Gauteng with 45 such deaths.

In the Eastern Cape 20 people were killed due to police action, 17 in the Western Cape, 10 in Mpumalanga, eight in Limpopo, six in North West, three in the Free State and two in the Northern Cape.

Out of the 103 people who died in police custody, 23 were in Gauteng, 17 in KZN, 16 in the Eastern Cape, 14 in Mpumalanga and 12 in the Western Cape.

The report said nine people died in police custody in the Free State, eight in Limpopo, three in the Northern Cape and one in North West.

But rape cases against the police seem to be increasing.

Ipid said 61 incidence of rape were reported against the police during this period.

It said 13 of the rape cases were in KZN and another 13 in Gauteng.

In the Eastern Cape there were nine such cases reported against the police and another nine rapes in the Western Cape.

The report said in the Free State seven rapes were reported, four in North West, three in Limpopo, two in Mpumalanga and one in the Northern Cape.

Corruption in the police including the sale of dockets, exhibits, extortion, soliciting bribes and issuing fraudulent papers was also high.

Ipid said 44 cases of corruption were reported during the period under review with most of the cases in KZN and Gauteng.

In Gauteng, 10 corruption cases were under investigation by Ipid and in KZN another 10 cases had been reported.

Nine cases were reported in North West, eight in the Free State, four in the Eastern Cape and three in Mpumalanga.

Ipid also investigated 13 cases of attempted murder against the police, 10 of defeating the ends of justice and three of intimidation.

Serious cases investigated

Deaths due to police action:

KwaZulu-Natal: 48

Gauteng: 45

Eastern Cape: 20

Western Cape: 17

Mpumalanga: 10

Limpopo: 8

North West: 6

Free State: 3

Northern Cape: 2

Incidents of rape by police:

KwaZulu-Natal: 13

Gauteng: 13

Eastern Cape: 9

Western Cape: 9

Free State: 7

North West: 4

Limpopo: 3

Mpumalanga: 2

Northern Cape: 1

Corruption:

KwaZulu-Natal: 10

Gauteng: 10

North West: 9

Free State: 8

Eastern Cape: 4

Mpumalanga: 3

Poltical Bureau

Related Topics: