Latest news with #Section34
IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
Should SAPS bosses undergo lifestyle audits? Ian Cameron reacts to arrest of crime intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo
SAPS divisional commissioner for crime intelligence, Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo appeared in court on Friday, after he was arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport on Thursday. Image: SAPS The South African Police Service (SAPS) divisional commissioner for crime intelligence, Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo is on Friday expected to appear before the Pretoria Magistrate's Court after he was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on Thursday. In an interview with IOL, chairperson of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron said apart from Khumalo, there are other senior SAPS officers arrested and it seems there are more arrests on the way. IOL understands Khumalo appeared before the court on Friday morning, facing charges relating to corruption, after he was nabbed by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC). 'Firstly, it is important to say we welcome the arrest of several SAPS senior officers that happened yesterday (Thursday). I think it is likely the tip of the iceberg, I think they might be more coming. 'Just as a recommendation from our side, the Portfolio Committee on Police, we feel strongly that there must be a far bigger inquiry to institute Section 34 inquiries per the SA Police Service Act to determine the fitness to hold office of many, many senior officers. I think over the years, a lot of unwanted elements have entered the South African Police Service for the wrong reasons and they have become part and parcel of the organised crime problem that we see,' Cameron told IOL. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ He emphasised that the rule of law and due process must apply to all citizens, and the accused people be given fair opportunity to defend themselves before the courts. 'It is also important for us, from the portfolio committee's point of view, that lifestyle audits, Section 34 inquiries and simple integrity tests are done to determine whether there is any further involvement with serious misconduct, especially criminal misconduct in the South African Police Service. 'It really is an indictment on the management of the SAPS that so many senior officers could be arrested and charged for what seems to be corruption without them (the management) knowing what was going on. I unfortunately do not believe that they didn't know. I think for a very long time, things have been happening but were simply not attended to,' said Cameron. Last month, IOL reported that Major-General Philani Lushaba, the Chief Financial Officer of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Intelligence unit, had allegedly vanished just as authorities were preparing to question him about his involvement in financial misconduct linked to properties valued at over R45 million. According to the Democratic Alliance (DA) member of Parliament, Dianne Kohler Barnard, Lushaba failed to report for duty on the morning of 6 June. Barnard said the alleged disappearance comes just as the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Investigating Directorate sought to question him, reportedly over a multi-million Rand property scandal.
Metro
5 days ago
- Metro
Mass brawl on Broadstairs beach prompts locals to consider 'taking a stand'
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This is the moment a brawl erupted on a Kent beach with two topless men trading blows while a baying crowd circles them. The video captured the brutes swinging at each other on the Broadstairs boardwalk as they were surrounded by dozens of screaming youths. Some of the crowd can be seen climbing on nearby beach huts to get a better view of the fight, while others took selfies and egged on the brawlers. Police arrived on the litter-strewn seafront once the fight had eventually dispersed. The onlooker who filmed the altercation wrote on social media that there was 'no sign of any law and order' in the area. 'Is it time for the locals to form a groups of volunteers to take matters into our own hands and get these f****** urchins dealt with,' he asked. 'The police just drive [around] in cars totally ineffective. 'We can't tolerate this b******* and if we don't make some kind of stand then people will stop coming here.' The fight, on June 21, came just a day after Kent Police announced it had implemented a Section 34 dispersal order in Broadstairs to 'disrupt antisocial behaviour'. The order gives police additional powers to instruct people to leave an area and anyone who returns risks being arrested. A spokesperson for Kent Police told Mail Online officers were called to a report of a disturbance involving approximately 50 people, shortly before 3pm. A 17-year-old boy was arrested and taken into custody. 'Later that day, the teenager was charged with assaulting a police officer and was bailed with conditions to attend Maidstone Youth Court at a later date.' In a press release online, the force said the dispersal order was put in place 'due to ongoing concerns relating to issues caused by a small minority of young people in some public areas, including the town centre and beaches. These have included under-age street drinking, fighting and reports of aggressive behaviour towards staff at shops.' Locals have been calling on Thanet Council and Kent Police to tackle a 'growing tide of antisocial abuse' in the Broadstairs area. More Trending A petition, with almost 5,000 signatures at the time of writing, says since the beginning of last week, the town had seen a 'surge in violent crime', including 'underage street drinking, fighting on the beaches and at at the train station, shoplifting, and vandalism'. It calls for enhanced police powers, extended dispersal zones throughout the summer months, stronger sanctions for repeat offenders and increased police patrols. One resident responded to the petition, writing: 'Local people don't expect this disgraceful behaviour. Broadstairs residents [deserve] better!' Another commented: 'Broadstairs will totally lose its reputation as a family resort.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'Bonkers' UK bus is 'world's rarest' and only runs on the fifth Saturday of the month MORE: One of Stonehenge's biggest mysteries has been 'solved' after 5,000 years MORE: The 'enchanting' UK town with five beaches that's only 58 minutes from London
The Citizen
30-05-2025
- The Citizen
Police officers charged with serious crimes remain on active duty as parliament demands reform
The presence of accused officers undermines the entire police service's integrity and effectiveness. The South African Police Service (Saps) faces mounting pressure to remove officers accused of serious criminal offences from active duty, with Parliament's portfolio committee on police demanding urgent Section 34 inquiries to determine fitness for service. The crisis has exposed deep systemic issues in Saps, where officers charged with rape, attempted murder and drug trafficking continue serving in frontline roles while public trust erodes. Criminology expert Willem Els warns that allowing accused officers to remain in uniform sends a dangerous message to communities. 'When the public sees that these officers are still in uniform after being accused of serious crimes like rape and all the others, it demonstrates to them or it gives them the impression that they are above the law and there's no accountability,' Els said. Specific examples of criminally charged police officers' cases The portfolio committee has identified multiple cases where officers facing grave charges continue their duties unimpeded. These include a police constable out on bail for rape who remains stationed at a local facility and an acting station commander facing charges of attempted murder and torture who retains his post. Other cases highlighted by committee chairperson Ian Cameron include a member who was caught selling police docket and later arrested for drunk driving while suspended, but has since returned to work. Furthermore, a court orderly found with over 900 Mandrax tablets continues deployment at a central Cape Town station, while a detective out on bail for drug dealing has reportedly resumed his duties. 'We cannot accept a situation where the police service turns a blind eye to such serious allegations, especially where the charges suggest direct involvement in violent or organised criminal activity,' Cameron said during recent committee engagements with the ministry of police and senior Saps management. ALSO READ: 1 police vehicle and 30 officers sharing 4 cellphones: Cape Town's crime struggle Constitutional challenges and legal framework The situation presents complex legal challenges rooted in South Africa's constitutional framework. Els acknowledges the fundamental principle that individuals remain innocent until proven guilty, creating inherent difficulties in addressing the crisis. However, Els suggests legislative reforms could address these challenges. 'Our legislation seems that it protects these officers more than it is supposed to, but that is our constitution, that is our law,' he explained, proposing immediate suspension once officers are charged with serious crimes to enhance transparency and public trust. During the committee meeting, national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola revealed a loophole that occurs allowing investigated officers to return to duty. 'Quite often, it happens that a departmental case lasts longer than 90 days. As you are aware that in terms of regulations suspension can only take 90 days and then it does happen that if the departmental case is not finalized, such a member comes back to work but normally we don't place that member at the same place where he was working,' he said. ALSO READ: Captain accused of raping trainee at Tshwane Police Academy suspended without pay Ipid response and jurisdictional boundaries The Independent Police Investigative Directorate clarified its role in addressing officers working while facing serious charges, emphasising that employment decisions rest with Saps as the employer. Ipid's mandate focuses on investigation and recommendation rather than direct disciplinary action. 'We are only investigating and once investigated, if it's a criminal offence, we refer the docket to the NPA for a decision. If there's a case to answer from an employer's perspective, we make recommendations to say can you please act against your member,' Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Shupin said. Shupin acknowledged the complexity of cases where court processes take extended periods of time, noting that criminal court outcomes can override internal Saps decisions. 'Sometimes we find that the state court might say they did not find their member guilty if it's a criminal offence. And you find that court processes take long and then the court finds the person guilty and sentences them to whatever number of years, then that would automatically overrule the Saps decision,' she said. ALSO READ: Mchunu to release SA's fourth quarterly crime stats Impact on police effectiveness and public safety The presence of accused officers undermines the entire police service's integrity and effectiveness. Els warned that such situations create 'a culture of impunity within the service, discourages whistleblowing and cooperation from the public and reporting of cases if they can't trust the police.' Echoing Els' sentiments, the committee emphasised that effective crime fighting requires removing officers accused of serious crimes to ensure only committed personnel remain in service. This becomes particularly critical given Saps' mandate to restore credibility and reestablish community collaboration. Proposed solutions and reforms Els recommends several immediate measures, including fast-tracking disciplinary hearings that currently experience lengthy delays. 'Maybe they should look at bringing external presiding officers from the judiciary to oversee these cases and to hear these cases in order to fast track them,' he suggested. The criminologist said risk assessments for officers on bail should bar them from public-facing duties, while standardised procedures could ensure automatic suspension for any officer charged with serious misconduct. 'If a police officer is charged with any serious misconduct, they should be automatically suspended. That will bring about a uniform sort of procedures,' Els explained. ALSO READ: Two Cape Town police officers arrested for kidnapping foreign national Oversight and accountability mechanisms Ipid requires significant strengthening to address these challenges effectively. Els notes that Ipid has been 'stripped of a lot of their resources, underfunded, undermanned' and needs rebuilding to fulfill its oversight role properly. He added that parliamentary oversight committees could play more robust roles in holding police accountable, while international best practices from countries like the UK and Canada demonstrate the effectiveness of independent oversight bodies and mandatory reporting requirements for officer misconduct. Systemic issues and cultural reform The crisis reflects deeper problems within Saps' culture and recruitment processes. Els identifies poor vetting, substandard training, political interference, cronyism and nepotism as underlying problems. 'Political interference, cronyism and nepotism within the police is still very, very high. That is why the police service in South Africa is regarded as the most corrupt state body in South Africa,' he said. Els added that training standards have deteriorated significantly over the past two decades, requiring benchmarking against international standards. ALSO READ: Alleged rape at police academy: Popcru calls for transparency and justice Station-level accountability The committee has resolved to extend oversight to individual police stations, with plans for a special meeting with the Fleurhof station commander following allegations of an inadequate response in the case of missing 11-year-old Jayden-Lee Meek. 'Crime happens at police station level and while leadership of the SAPS at the national and provincial level must be held accountable, so are officers at the station level,' Cameron emphasised, highlighting the need for accountability at all operational levels. Broader criminal justice concerns Beyond officer misconduct, the committee remains concerned about disparities between arrests and convictions, indicating systemic failures throughout the criminal justice system. The lack of effective plans to combat gang-related violence, which significantly contributes to South Africa's high murder rates, requires urgent attention. 'There is no question that gang violence is a major contributor to the high murder rates in the country. An effective response plan must be developed and urgently implemented to combat gang-related violence,' Cameron said. Path forward Els warns that without addressing these fundamental issues, the problems will persist indefinitely. 'If we don't tackle that, we will be sitting here 10 years from now and we will asking and talking about the same challenges,' he said. The committee continues advocating for enhanced collaboration between SAPS and other government agencies, including the South African Revenue Service, to combat organised crime effectively. Additionally, concerns about lengthy vehicle maintenance periods highlight the need for adequate resources and tools to support police operations. NOW READ: 'It's a joke': KZN detective guilty of plotting commissioner's murder dismisses 10-year sentence
