Cape Town - Anti-crime activists have called on Premier Alan Winde to make public the findings of the Western Cape Police Ombudsman’s report, which delves into the links between the SAPS and gangs.
This comes after Winde recently announced that the final report was handed over to him on November 18.
However, he told the Cape Times the report would not be made public.
Winde’s spokesperson, Regan Thaw, said the premier was “carefully studying the report and considering his next steps”.
“He will announce further action when he is in a position to do so.
“The report has confirmed that the allegations are likely substantiated that SAPS has been infiltrated at its highest levels by organised crime in the Western Cape.
“The report will remain confidential, and will not be publicly released, due to the critical importance of protecting individuals involved in investigating organised crime,” said Thaw.
Further enquiries to confirm whether the final report was classified according to the Minimum Information Security Standard (MISS) procedure, were not answered by the premier’s office.
Manenberg anti-crime activist, Roegshanda Pascoe, said the report should be made public to keep police accountable.
She suggested that a redacted version with names removed be publicised.
“It’s all good and well if they want to protect people’s identities, but then why not just remove the names or use (pseudonyms)? But they cannot withhold the report.
“The ombudsman is obligated to give the report to the public as he is a public servant and the premier has no right to keep the report back.
“I am pushing that they empower the ombudsman to give him more power to keep police accountable but also those department heads like our law enforcement agencies,” said Pascoe.
Action Society’s Ian Cameron said the lack of transparency “is a shame”.
“I don’t agree with it not being made public. It’s incredibly important because it’s that transparency that is lacking at the moment and is the same with the (Ipid report on the murder of Charl Kinnear).
“If we are not going to have transparency it will mean more senior officials that are complicit will get away with it and that’s the problem. There are too many people involved that are in positions of power and therefore the silence...If the exposure doesn't happen, it means that government and especially SAPS management has blood on their hands,” said Cameron.
Crime whistle-blower, Colin Arendse, said: “There is no reason in law why Premier Winde should withhold the report.
This veil of secrecy by Winde is similar to their deathly silence around the alleged criminal acts by the rogue crime intelligence unit members that Colonel Charl Kinnear exposed before he was assassinated.
Unless there is a conflict of interest that we are unaware of, Winde should release the entire report, without any redaction, immediately.”
Enquiries to the police ministry and ombudsman had not been answered by deadline.
The investigation by the ombudsman was spurred on by the judgment of Western Cape High Court Judge Daniel Thulare, in which he shone the spotlight on corrupt operations of SAPS officials who have links to organised crime and how the safety of state prosecutors had been compromised.
Cape Times