Community Safety
- Whether any complaints against SAPS officers have been lodged since the start of the lockdown period; if so, (a) how many, (b) what is the nature of the complaints and (c) what steps have been taken against these police officers?
- How many complaints have been lodged against police officers between 1 April 2019 and the start of the lockdown period?
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate informed me as follows:
- (1) (a) The IPID confirm that a total number of 97 Covid-19 related cases in various classifications were reported against the members of SAPS from the 26 March to 31 May 2020.
(b) The IPID received two (2) death cases, twenty-eight (28) Discharge of fire-arm and sixty-seven (67) assault cases for the same above indicated period.
- These cases are still at various stages of investigation for both criminal and departmental disciplinary.
(2) For the period of 1 April 2019 until end of March 2020 IPID Western Cape office received a total number of 1197 alleged cases in various classifications against members of SAPS.
The Western Cape Police Ombudsman informed me as follows:
- Yes,
- 73 complaints for the period 1 April 2020 until 31 May 2020.
- Refer to below table.
Of the total of 73 complaints which were received, 10 complaints were registered as enquiries. Enquiries are complaints which will not be investigated due to it either being not within the WCPO mandate, a duplication of a complaint or a premature complaint.
Category | Subcategory | Lockdown Complaints | General Complaints | SAPS | Total |
Enquiries | Not within WCPO mandate | 1 | 6 | Provincial Head Office Grassy Park Durbanville Lwandle Belhar Gansbaai Tableview | 10 |
Duplication |
| 2 | Milnerton Paarl | ||
Premature |
| 1 | Mfuleni | ||
General | Any other complaint not mentioned within all the categories | 1 |
| Provincial Head Office | 1 |
Lack of Communication | Any other assistance required | 4 | 1 | Radio Control Goodwood Bellville Parow Thembalethu | 5 |
Poor Communication | Lack of telephone etiquette | 3 |
| Murraysburg Kleinvlei Muizenberg | 17 |
Not providing feedback | 1 | 12 | Belhar Cape Town Central Lingeletu-West Paarl Mbekweni Mfuleni Kraaifontein Manenberg Wynberg Provincial Head Office Laingsburg Durbanville Murraysburg Caledon | ||
Supply incorrect information |
| 1 | Strand | ||
Poor Investigation | Failure to arrest suspect |
| 4 | Kraaifontein Lansdowne Steenberg Strand | 7 |
Failure to follow up on clues and information |
| 2 | Gugulethu Kraaifontein | ||
Failure to update criminal record (SAPS 69) with outcome of case |
| 1 | Kleinvlei | ||
Poor Response | Failure to attend to a complaint | 9 | 15 | Ravensmead Ocean View Table View Lentegeur Diepriver Parow Steenberg Grassy Park Ladismith Sea Point Hermanus Kraaifontein Bredarsdorp Kuilsriver Wynberg Mbekweni Mitchells Plain Murraysburg Philippi Ladismith Vredendal | 25 |
Unnecessary delays in attending to victims / complainants |
| 1 | Nyanga | ||
Unacceptable Behaviour | Fails to comply with or contravene an Act, Regulation or legal obligation | 1 | 4 | Steenberg Kraaifontein Provincial Head Office Bredarsdorp Lingelethu-West | 8 |
Conducts himself or herself in an improper, disgraceful and unacceptable manner |
| 3 | Provincial Head Office Ladismith Steenberg |
| |
Total | 20 | 53 |
| 73 | |
- The 63 matters registered for investigation are all currently under investigation and the WCPO will aim, as far as possible, to finalise these matters within the 90-day period. The outcome of all investigations are communicated to the complainants and the SAPS Provincial Commissioner to implement appropriate actions, where necessary.
A total of 20 matters are in relation to COVID19 or Lockdown complaints.
- A total of 734 complaints were received during the 2019/2020 financial year (as per the WCPO Annual Performance Report which was issued to the Provincial Minister for tabling to Provincial Parliament on 30 April 2020).
