Only 5 out of 147 cases of police brutality have been resolved in the past five years

19 January 2021

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is deeply disappointed to learn that only five out of 147 cases of police brutality in Gauteng have been resolved in the past five years.

This was revealed by the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko in a written reply to the DA’s questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL).

According to MEC Mazibuko, the following cases have been opened against Gauteng SAPS members in the last five years from the 2016/2017 financial year to the 2020/2021 financial year:

117 cases of common assault and assault with intention to cause grievous bodily harm

16 deaths in police custody

10 death cases as a result of police actions

3 cases of rape

One person raped in police custody in 2018

In total, 147 cases have been opened against Gauteng SAPS members in the past five years.

All these cases have been reported to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) and of these opened cases, only five have been resolved.

It is worrying that our people continue to suffer and die in the hands of the police yet there is a delay in ensuring justice for the victims and their families.

This clearly shows that some of the SAPS in this province are failing to abide by the SAPS Code of Conduct and that they are failing to respect the rights of our people while they are conducting their duties

The DA calls on MEC Mazibuko to engage both the Minister for Police, Bheki Cele and the Head of IPID, Jennifer Ntlatseng to ascertain why there have been delays in resolving these cases.

Justice delayed is justice denied for the victims and their families, and it is high time that the IPID speeds-up the investigations in these pending cases.

Issued by Michael Shackleton, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Community Safety, 19 January 2021