Shocking mismanagement at police station revealed
A Soweto police constable who was jailed for attempted murder is still receiving his salary, and eight of his colleagues carry firearms despite failing the competency test an audit report reveals.
|||Johannesburg - A Soweto policeman who was fired and jailed for violent crime is still being paid his salary.
The 33-year-old former constable from Diepkloof police station got into a fight at a tavern with another patron. He rushed home and returned to the tavern with a pistol, and shot and wounded the patron.
He was found guilty of attempted murder and began his sentence in September.
The Star was shown an audit report on the police station compiled by the SAPS's audit team. The report says the officer was paid last month’s salary and also received a bonus as it was his birthday month.
The report on the police station shows that another constable was paid a salary after being fired in August.
The report indicates a range of problems at the station.
The Star asked Gauteng police about the details of the report.
Spokeswoman Colonel Noxolo Kweza said: “We are not commenting.”
The 59-page audit report, which covers the period from April 2015 to last month, paints a bleak picture of a station plagued by problems.
Some of these challenges were blamed on management inadequately supervising and monitoring the work of the officers at the station.
The station has eight officers who did not pass the firearm competency assessment but were still in possession of their guns.
“The SAPS might face a lawsuit if a member declared incompetent injures or kills someone with a state firearm,” the report warned. It noted that officers at Diepkloof had no confidence in the services rendered by their employee health and wellness office.
While the SAPS's policy states that disciplinary hearings be finalised within 60 calendar days, seven cases are still dragging on long after that deadline. One had been going on for 275 days, another for 195 days and others for up to 130 days.
The holding cells were not visited hourly, which could result in detainees escaping, injuring each other or dying without officers noticing.
Twenty vacant posts hadn’t been filled despite the provincial office being informed. And because there is a shortage of investigating officers, detectives are dealing with a lot more case dockets.
Problems were also experienced while transporting suspects to court. A female suspect sat with two policemen in the front of the vehicle. The 10 detainees were not searched before being escorted and were given back items like cellphones and cigarette lighters while in transit to court.
“This might open a loophole for escape,” the report said.
botho.molosankwe@inl.co.za
The Star