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THE DA wants the top brass of the police to be summoned to answer questions over cases of sexual violence involving some of the police officers.
On Wednesday, the party’s deputy spokesperson on police Lisa Schickerling wrote to the portfolio committee on police requesting that chairperson Ian Cameron cause SAPS senior management to appear before the committee to address the escalating crisis of sexual violence within law enforcement.
“This issue has become deeply concerning, with numerous reports from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) indicating a disturbing increase in incidents of sexual violence perpetrated by members of the police force,” Schickerling wrote in her letter.
She said the reports highlighted not only the severity of the problem but also the urgent need for accountability, systemic reform, and concrete steps to address the culture of impunity that allows such behaviour to persist.
“The gravity of the situation demands that SAPS senior management be held directly accountable before the committee, to provide clarity on the steps being taken to address these allegations, to restore public trust in the force, and to ensure that perpetrators are held fully accountable.
“It is crucial that this matter be treated with the utmost urgency and transparency to protect the safety and dignity of all citizens and restore the integrity of law enforcement institutions. Your feedback and assistance relating to this matter as soon as possible is highly appreciated,” added Schickerling.
Her letter comes after constable Naveron Jacobs, 35, appeared in the Blue Downs Magistrates Court on Monday after being charged with rape.
Jacobs, who is the third officer to be arrested for rape in the Western Cape in recent months, allegedly raped a female prisoner inside the holding cells while the prisoner was waiting to be taken to Pollsmoor Prison.
Schickerling said her party requested the meeting with the SAPS senior management to account for this scourge of sexual violence within law enforcement.
“We demand answers on these investigations, and what precautions are being taken to ensure that one officer who is investigating, is not protecting another officer who is accused.
“Individuals in the very institution meant to protect us from crime, are now accused of violating vulnerable South Africans at an alarmingly high rate.
“Importantly, this is not a complete reflection of SAPS - but rather a rotten few,” she said, adding that SAPS should rid all delinquent officers within its ranks, who tarnish the good work done by many officers in the line of duty.
Schickerling also said it could not be that South Africans lost confidence or were fearful of police officers.
“Police officers found to have committed rape only deserve the harshest consequences of the law they are meant to uphold.”
Meanwhile, Cameron said harsher sentences should be imposed on police officers convicted of rape.
Cameron said it was worrying that some officers committed the crimes while in full uniform or in police stations or while they were on duty.
“It is reprehensible and sickening that so many cases of gender-based violence can be perpetrated by people meant to uphold the rule of law or at a place of safety such as a police station. It is also sickening that some members could commit such crimes while wearing the SAPS uniform, showing complete disregard for the uniform they wear,” he said.
His comments were sparked by the 2023-24 annual report of Ipid which recorded 110 incidents of rape by police officers.
The report stated that of the 110 rape cases by officers, 58 were committed by officers while on-duty and 52 by off-duty officers.
The majority of incidents were reported in KwaZulu-Natal with 26 cases, followed by Gauteng with 20 cases and Western Cape each with 19 cases.
In the previous year, there were 122 rape cases.
Cameron said the police officers were meant to be trusted by the most vulnerable, and that committing such atrocious crimes eroded trust and undermined the rule of law.
He also said harsher sentences would be the only deterrence against any predisposition to commit any crime.
“In a country facing the scourge of gender-based violence, it is unacceptable that SAPS members could contribute to this scourge. More worrying is that in the 2022/23 financial year, the IPID received 122 cases across the country.”
Cameron added that the portfolio committee has been reiterating that the SAPS should rid the system of any rogue police officers.
“We continue to reiterate that officers who break the law must be removed from the service. The SAPS code of conduct is clear that officers must at all times adhere to and promote the rule of law,” he said.
mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za