Cape Town - As the country grappled with high numbers of sexual assault cases, officers in blue, whose duty was to protect the public, were also found to have been alleged perpetrators of gender violence.
Rape allegations made by civilians against the police were among the crimes reported to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.
A total of 5 295 criminal cases were opened against police officers during the 2021/22 financial year.
The majority of the cases were from Gauteng, with 984 complaints against police officers, followed by the Western Cape with 963, and KwaZulu-Natal with 628.
Of the various offences committed, assault was in the lead with 3 407 incidents, followed by complaints about the discharge of official firearms numbering 744, and deaths as a result of police action at 410.
About 99 incidents of rape by on- or off-duty police officer were recorded.
Most of the alleged rape incidents were reported in KwaZulu-Natal, which had 20, followed by Gauteng and the Western Cape, which had 18 .
A total of 53 police officers were dismissed from their employment, 239 were given disciplinary convictions, and 20 were jailed.
Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Suping said: “As Ipid, we are taking the annual report to Parliament on October 14, where it will be tabled before the portfolio committee on policing.”
She said the numbers were worrying, and that Ipid wanted the country to be safe for all. It investigated alleged instance of police misconduct to try to instil confidence in the police and ensure they were held accountable for their actions.
Molo Songololo director Patric Solomons said the Ipid numbers were shocking and not only portrayed little accountability within the police, but also how violent South African society had become.
He said they were especially outraged by the increase in the number of rapes, 49 of which were by on-duty officers and 50 by those who were off work.
“Bear in mind that these are only reported cases. There are many women who have been raped by cops.
“Some were scared to lodge a case because there had been incidents of further victimisation in police stations.
“The violence in our communities is also reflected in the organisation that is supposed to serve and protect.
There are also some cases rejected by Ipid, or they will say they do not have capacity. Lack of leadership and monitoring are also contributing to these crimes,” said Solomons.
Community safety and police oversight MEC Reagen Allen said: “Deaths, rapes and any other crime committed by an SAPS officer can and will never be condoned. It’s enough that many residents have to deal with criminals.”
Allen said many residents had lost faith and trust in the police owing to the behaviour of some members, who were seen to operate like criminals.
The SACP’s Western Cape chairperson, Benson Ngqentsu, said they were deeply concerned about the extent of police involvement in acts of criminality and, even worse, in rape.
“Policing problems are structural and need systemic intervention. The culture of impunity of SAPS members is caused by weak internal mechanisms to deal with discipline and weak external oversight bodies.
“Ipid must recruit investigators from forensics and other investigative bodies. Parliament failed to guarantee the structural, institutional and operational independence of Ipid when it was compelled by the Constitutional Court in the McBride case to amend the Ipid Act,” said Ngqentsu.
Cape Times