DURBAN - KWAZULU-NATAL police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said the fight against crime and corruption must begin within the police service, starting with top police officials who may be working with criminals.
The commissioner on Sunday told the Daily News that since he was appointed as provincial commissioner in 2018, various police officials have been arrested and more internal investigations were being conducted to rid the SAPS of the rot.
“If we are to win the fight against crime, we start with our own officials and investigate everyone working with criminals. We cannot ignore allegations of corruption. We hear about police and cannot do nothing about it, heads must roll.”
Mkhwanazi said the reason crime was persisting was because some of the most wanted criminals in the province had relations with police officials and were enjoying their protection.
He had been receiving threats from various people who feared being held accountable for their transgressions.
“One must realise that brutal police killings don’t happen accidentally; these are well-planned activities making sure that criminals are not arrested, and further delay justice. We are aware that the police in different units are weakening our efforts to fight crime.
“Check the court rolls and see the cases involving police officials who were found doing things that have put the SAPS into disrepute. We continue arresting those who are doing the opposite of what they should.”
Asked why he was not disclosing the identities of police officials being investigated, Mkhwanazi said although he would like to do so, he could not make the information public because it would jeopardise the investigations.
He added that criminals were “not sleeping” and waiting to be arrested, but were doing everything in their power to frustrate investigations and avoid arrest.
Since his appointment, Mkhwanazi has dismissed over 30 police officers involved in various criminal activities.
“It is not something to boast about and the intention is not to target anyone, but we do this because we want to correct the SAPS and restore the public trust. We will save no police officer who transgresses, we will arrest them if found guilty,” Mkhwanazi said.
Opposition parties in KwaZulu-Natal voiced their concerns over the slow pace of arrests and investigations into police officials involved in corruption.
The DA said the “bad apples” needed to be removed from the service.
“This is the time for the commissioner to bring back faith in the SAPS and act on any SAPS member found to be implicated in any criminal activity,” Sharon Hoosen, the DA provincial spokesperson for Transport and Community Safety, said.
Blessed Gwala, MPL and IFP provincial spokesperson for Community Safety and Liaison, said corrupt officials were damaging the reputation of the SAPS and frustrating efforts to fight crime.
Meanwhile, last week, Hawks KZN spokesperson Captain Simphiwe Mhlongo said two police officers, aged 36 and 39, were arrested and charged with corruption.
Mhlongo said the pair had allegedly asked people to pay them cash to secure employment at Durban metro police.
One of the accused worked for the Durban metro police and the other worked for the SAPS and was stationed at King Shaka International Airport.
He added that up to R350 000 had allegedly been deposited by victims into a personal account belonging to one of the suspects.
Daily News