Jehran Naidoo
Durban - Community forums play a key role in exposing police misconduct in South Africa, the newly appointed executive director of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) Jennifer Ntlatseng said on Tuesday.
Ipid is a governmental organisation responsible for investigating complaints against members of the South African Police Service and municipal police.
“Community policing forums have been my partners throughout my career therefore it is easy for me to implement my programmes,” Ntlatseng said in a statement after she was welcomed to the post by KwaZulu-Natal member of the executive council (MEC) for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison Bheki Ntuli.
“Community policing forums play a critical role between bridging that gap between government and the community. Community participation is crucial to ensure that early warning systems are detected if there are burning issues within the community and we are able curb challenges around police misconduct.”
Ntlatseng, who has attained 20 years of experience in the criminal justice system and community policing sectors, said Ipid also had a programme which aimed to improve police professionalism through “station lectures”.
MEC Ntuli said corruption was a cancer in society which needed to be confronted as it could destroy South Africa’s institutions if not urgently dealt with.
“Combating fraud and corruption within the police ranks and rooting out criminal and corrupt elements from within the service will assist in regaining public trust,” he said.
He said his department would host a community meeting aimed at educating residents about their rights and where they could report complaints of torture or other assaults by police officers during the execution of their duties.
African News Agency/ANA