Pretoria – Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has urged anyone with information on alleged police and gang collusion in the Western Cape to come forward with the evidence to back their claims.
“Should they be proven true, they could compromise and derail efforts of crime reduction, not only in the Western Cape but the whole country. Indeed if the claims are true, the law would have to take its course, irrespective of whoever is involved,” said Mthethwa.
He was reacting to media reports which quoted Hanif Loonat, chairman of the Western Cape Community Policing Forum (CPF), and criminologist Eldred de Klerk, who alleged that gang bosses are professionals who use their wealth to buy information from the authorities.
The minister further cautioned against any generalisation when people raise allegations, particularly via media platforms.
At times, Mthethwa said, people called radio stations or approached newspapers to make allegations. Yet when police investigate further, they discover that they were general remarks which cannot be proven.
“Police are not immune to criticism, as much as civilians are not. However, we want to caution against grandstanding.
“If there are any allegations of collusion between police and criminals, government has various oversight structures, such as the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, the Civilian Secretariat for Police as well as the Presidential Hotline which they can utilise to report such matters,” he said.
The minister reiterated that crime reduction programmes were centred on partnerships, particularly with CPFs, which he said sought to form a reciprocal partnership between the community and police to improve levels of safety.
“At the same time, the approach enables the community to hold the police accountable for the delivery of policing services that address their needs,” he said.
The same approach, Mthethwa said, applied to researchers and criminologists who had a role to play in assisting with empirical research and knowledge data in crime fighting efforts.
“As the police leadership, we value such partnerships as they enhance our strategy, which speaks to achieving a goal of building a society where all law-abiding citizens will enjoy dignified and safe lives. And when they raise such scathing allegations, we would expect them to bring forth any evidence to support their allegations,” the minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
