Potchefstroom - A 39-year-old South African Police Service (SAPS) constable who was recently captured on video clearly drunk and staggering around while in his official uniform has been fired, the SAPS in the North West confirmed on Sunday.
North West police commissioner Lt-Gen Sello Kwena welcomed the dismissal of "former constable Tsekiso Jonas Tshabalala" from the SAPS, North West SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said in a statement.
"The former member whose dismissal was confirmed on Tuesday, 26 January 2021, was stationed at Wolmaransstad in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District.
"Tshabalala's dismissal follows an internal disciplinary process which was instituted against him in terms of SAPS discipline regulations soon after he committed a misconduct on Saturday, 28 November 2020.
"That was after a video depicting a fully uniformed and intoxicated Tshabalala struggling to stand on his feet to inspect damages on a state motor vehicle after he reversed [into] a fence at Extension 10, Tswelelang location in Wolmaransstad went viral on various social media platforms," Mokgwabone said.
IN THIS CASE THE RECORDED EVIDENCE SPEAKS VOLUMES...@SAPoliceService @TrafficRTMC @GTP_Traffstats @JoburgMPD @TMPDSafety @IPID_ZA pic.twitter.com/LLg47kXwWl
— REZA (@crimeairnetwork) November 30, 2020
The former constable, who was subsequently arrested and released on R500 bail after appearing in court, still faced charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and using a motor vehicle without the owner's consent. He was due to appear in court again on Friday, March 19.
Kwena, who at the time of the incident described the former member’s conduct as unprofessional and unbecoming, pointed out that the action taken and the sanction imposed would certainly send a clear message that the SAPS would not tolerate members who failed to adhere to the code of conduct, Mokgwabone said.
African News Agency/ANA