'One cop van to service huge PE area'
30 October 2012
Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on printShare on googleMore Sharing Services0Lee-Anne Butler and Gareth Wilson
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Crimes of the South African Police Service
SA police to reduce staff by 9000
14 May 2012
Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on emailShare on printShare on googleMore Sharing Services2South Africa’s police service should reduce staff numbers by 9000, the National Treasury has recommended, according to a report on Monday (14/05/2012).
According to a Treasury report submitted to Parliament last week, this could see the police service placing a moratorium on the recruitment of new members from 2013, Beeld newspaper reported.
Dianne Kohler Barnard, DA MP and shadow minister of police, said the country could not afford to have fewer police officers.
"With one of the world’s highest crime rates, we need more police officials. This suggestion bodes ill for the improvement of the police’s specialised services, especially detectives and the forensic division.” Kohler Barnard said the head of the police’s forensic laboratory had already been told no new staff could be hired, in accordance with the Treasury recommendation.
Police spokesman Colonel Vish Naidoo said on Sunday the Treasury had only made a recommendation, and that the figure of 9000 was not definitive.
"It will happen over a long period of time. Nobody’s job is under threat. The idea is to reduce existing staff numbers through natural means, resignations, retirements... that kind of thing.” Naidoo said the police had appointed around 55,000 new members between 2005 and 2009 ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
"This means that we appointed about 11,000 people a year, whereas we usually appoint only about 3500 a year.” – Sapa
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Friday, October 26, 2012
This is the type of individual who is National Police Commissioner in South Africa. Then again, Jackie Selebi and Bheki Cele were her predecessors…
Johannesburg - National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega reportedly laughed and joked as footage of the killing of 34 miners in a clash with police was screened at the Farlam Commission of Inquiry, The Times reported on Wednesday.
Phiyega reportedly joked with a state law adviser as a prelude to the killings was screened at the Rustenburg Civic Centre.
Surrounded by her senior officers, Phiyega smiled as she watched.
It was only after screams of horror echoed across the room, as the footage was played without any warning, that Phiyega's "humorous demeanour changed to that of an ice queen, blatantly ignoring the wailing families", the report continued.
"...Phiyega stared straight ahead, ignoring a widow screaming at her for answers about her husband's death," the newspaper reported.
"Why did they do this? Why did your policemen kill my husband? What did he do?" the woman screamed at her.
Later she was seen comforting one of the widows of the two policemen killed ahead of the August 16 shooting.
Asked repeatedly for comment on why she did not help those upset, and what she had been joking about, Phiyega said: "I am not here for that. I am here for the commission and the commission only."
Bishop Jo Seroka, a talks facilitator for the miners, said: "She sat there laughing and did nothing. You would expect a sense of remorse and empathy which was non-existent."
- SAPA
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Crimes of the South African Police Service
CRIME AND CORRUPTION
During a recent Mission to Mpumalanga, I heard a number of remarkable testimonies of the crime and corruption which is afflicting this country.
Combine Harvester Stolen
A wheat farmer came back from a couple of days travel to find that his combine harvester had been stolen. Without this one million Rand machine, he would not be able to bring in the wheat harvest. But what would any criminal want with a combine harvester? Other than a wheat farmer, who could even use such a machine?
Partners in Crime
When the farmer reported this at the charge office of the local Police Station, the constable on duty handed him a slip of paper and said, here are my bank details. Once you have deposited R60,000 into it, I will see that your machine is returned. The farmer was staggered at the brazenness of this policeman who obviously was well aware of the crime and a partner in it.
Arrested
As it so happened, there was a police Colonel standing next to the farmer at the time. Although, no one would have recognised that fact because he was in civilian clothes. The officer produced his police identity card and arrested the constable on the spot.
Yet God is at Work
This officer informed the farmer that the corruption throughout the country and even throughout the police force was pandemic. Yet, he pointed, God is still at work. Some time ago, without any authorisation, a police vehicle left a station in Pretoria. It drove towards Durban carrying illicit goods. Completely unrelated, another police vehicle left a station in Durban and headed North, also without authorisation. Its boot was stacked full with illegal drugs. Inexplicably, both vehicles collided in a head-on collision, midway between Pretoria and Durban! The odds against something like that happening must be staggering.
During a recent Mission to Mpumalanga, I heard a number of remarkable testimonies of the crime and corruption which is afflicting this country.
Combine Harvester Stolen
A wheat farmer came back from a couple of days travel to find that his combine harvester had been stolen. Without this one million Rand machine, he would not be able to bring in the wheat harvest. But what would any criminal want with a combine harvester? Other than a wheat farmer, who could even use such a machine?
Partners in Crime
When the farmer reported this at the charge office of the local Police Station, the constable on duty handed him a slip of paper and said, here are my bank details. Once you have deposited R60,000 into it, I will see that your machine is returned. The farmer was staggered at the brazenness of this policeman who obviously was well aware of the crime and a partner in it.
Arrested
As it so happened, there was a police Colonel standing next to the farmer at the time. Although, no one would have recognised that fact because he was in civilian clothes. The officer produced his police identity card and arrested the constable on the spot.
Yet God is at Work
This officer informed the farmer that the corruption throughout the country and even throughout the police force was pandemic. Yet, he pointed, God is still at work. Some time ago, without any authorisation, a police vehicle left a station in Pretoria. It drove towards Durban carrying illicit goods. Completely unrelated, another police vehicle left a station in Durban and headed North, also without authorisation. Its boot was stacked full with illegal drugs. Inexplicably, both vehicles collided in a head-on collision, midway between Pretoria and Durban! The odds against something like that happening must be staggering.
Read more…………..
Dr. Peter Hammond
Africa Christian Action
An audio CD: Combatting Corruption with Integrity by Dr. Peter Hammond is available from Christian Liberty Books, PO Box 358, Howard Place 7450, Cape Town, South Africa, tel: 021-689-7478
Africa Christian Action
PO Box 23632
Claremont
7735 Cape Town
South Africa
Tel: 021-689 4481 FREE 021-689 4481
E-mail: info@christianaction.org.za
Web: http://www.christianaction.org.za/
PO Box 23632
Claremont
7735 Cape Town
South Africa
Tel: 021-689 4481
E-mail: info@christianaction.org.za
Web: http://www.christianaction.org.za/
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Update: Pregnant woman allegedly punched by Metro cop
Hashim Ismail outside the store.
A pregnant woman is allegedly punched in the stomach, and her family claims to be called 'kulas' - a racist term for 'Indians' - by JMPD.
06 September 2012 | Mlungisi Mabaso
null
Not rated yet.
Update - September 6, 2012, 10.09am - JMPD spokesperson Wayne Minnaar says that it is illegal to have any goods outside a store.
He added that no report has come to JMPD's attention of the pregnant woman being punched in the stomach.
Update - September 4, 2012, 12.50pm: JMPD spokesperson Wayne Minnaar said that he has to check up on the Amazon Pets incident.
Initial report - August 30, 2012, 3.56pm: A pregnant woman was allegedly punched by a female Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) cop during a commotion between shop keepers and the officials.
The incident transpired on August 18 at Amazon Pets in Lenasia, Ext 1. JMPD officials reportedly confisticated goods that was illegally displayed or belonged to people trading in the street.
The owner of the shop, who did not want to be named, stated that the goods confisticated were not on the floor but hung on the shop wall; which is not illegal trading.
Her daughter, who is about four months pregnant, was allegedly punched in the stomach. She has since suffered pains.
Hashim Ismail, the shop keeper’s son was arrested, detained and charged for defeating the ends of justice; he was released after four hours.
"We were called ‘kulas’, which is racist. We are not letting this lie down," said the aggravated shop keeper. She added they will be contacting a certain organisation, to take up the matter.
JMPD could not be reached for comment.
http://www.looklocal.co.za/looklocal/content/en/lenasia/lenasia-news-crime?oid=6110887&sn=Detail&pid=1171270&Pregnant-woman-allegedly-punched-by-Metro-cop-
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Police minister's guard steals from him
2011-09-06 17:56
Johannesburg - A police sergeant guarding Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has been arrested for stealing from him, ministerial spokesperson Zweli Mnisi said on Tuesday.
"There was no break-in at the minister's Cape Town house, but a laptop and cellphone went missing on Saturday," he said.
The equipment was recovered. The policeman was arrested on Monday, along with two others who apparently purchased the items from him.
The three were expected to appear in the Wynberg Magistrate's Court on Wednesday.
- SAPA
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Joburg metro cop steals motorist's money - DA
Mervyn Cirota
19 October 2011
Mervyn Cirota says officer allegedly grabbed R1,000 in cash after extortion attempt went nowhere
JMPD OFFICER STEALS CASH FROM MOTORIST AFTER THREATS AND INTIMIDATION.
It has been brought to the attention of the Democratic Alliance in the city of Johannesburg that on the 13th October at approximately 1530 at the Marlboro off ramp Sandton a JMPD officer allegedly removed R1000.00 from the wallet of Mr Johan Van Zyl after intimidating and threatening him with imprisonment.
DA Shadow member of the Mayoral Committee for Public Safety in Johannesburg who has investigated the matter and interviewed the complainant expressed his dismay and anger at the allegations .He has called for an urgent meeting with the chief of JMPD to facilitate an urgent investigation into the matter and the immediate suspension of the JMPD official.If true these allegations are part of what is becoming a disturbing trend of unlawful activities by certain law enforcement officers in the JMPD, where they intimidate law abiding citizens in order to extort payment from them.The DA views any criminal behaviour by JMPD officials in the most serious light and particularly when it relates to bribery and extortion.
Mr Van Zyl was stopped by a JMPD official on his way home .He was requested to produce his drivers licence which he did.He then checked the car registration number and compared it to the cars number plates .The JMPD official claimed that the vehicle was stolen and despite attempts by Mr Van Zyl to explain that the discrepancy was due to an error in the issuing of the token by their licensing department the JMPD official refused to believe him and threatened to arrest him and accused him of being a criminal and fraudster and that he would be impounding his car.
The officer then began a verbal attack against Mr Van Zyl which continued for about half an hour.
He then advised that Mr van Zyl must remove all his belongings from the car. He then ordered him to sit in his car whilst he spoke to a fellow colleague standing close by. He then joined him in the car and began a concerted effort to scare and intimidate him by advising that him that in jai lhe would most probably be assaulted and raped. He then asked him what he (Mr Van Zyl )can do for him "to make all of this go away".
At that stage he returned Mr Van Zyl's driver's license to him .MR vanZyl took out his wallet to return his license to it and without warning the officer grabbed his wallet and removed all the cash from it ,which was approximately R1000.
He then told him to leave .He did not charge Mr Van Zyl with any offence but scared and intimidated him for over half an hour with as it turned out the intended purpose to extort and steal money from him.
Mr van Zyl did not obtain the officers's name but note his vehicle as BMW registration no VYL 487GP and his badge no as 51370.
Mr van Zyl has laid charges at Bramley police station under case no 215/10/2011
Cllr Cirota will be monitoring the progress of the investigation both by SAPS and JMPD .
Statement issued by Cllr Mervyn Cirota, DA Member of the Shadow Mayoral Committee for Public Safety -JHB, October 19 2011
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Thief steals police bakkie as cop answers nature’s call
October 19 2012 at 04:47pm
By Karabo Ngoepe
By Karabo Ngoepe
KARABO NGOEPE
Crime Reporter
A BRAZEN criminal yesterday stole a police car right under the noses of officers at a city cop shop.
The drama started when a police constable patrolling the streets of Pretoria West needed to relieve himself. He decided to go to the Pretoria West police station.
The officer parked the un-marked Nissan double cab police bakkie in the station commissioner’s parking bay and went inside the station leaving the car keys in the car.
When he returned, he saw the car leaving the yard and heard a clerk asking who was driving it.
Police spokesman Captain Bonginkosi Msimango said a lookout was given for the vehicle and a chase started. “The vehicle was tailed up to the Ben Schoeman highway where it overturned. The suspect then tried to get into another vehicle but was arrested and taken to the Wierdabrug police station,” Msimango said.
Asked how the suspect was able to gain entry into the police parking lot, Msimango said it was because the bathrooms at the station were used by members of the SAPS and the public. Therefore, the suspect could easily have said he was going to the toilet before proceeding to the vehicle.
Msimango said police were still questioning the suspect to try to find out why he had stolen the car, but he appeared disorientated following the accident.
He is expected to appear in court soon.
http://www.iol.co.za/pretoria-news/thief-steals-police-bakkie-as-cop-answers-nature-s-call-1.1407147
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Police officer accused of stealing cattle
August 11 2011 at 11:42pm
Independent Newspapers
The police officer appeared in court this week after the theft of cattle worth an estimated R45 000, according to the authorities.
Johannesburg - A Mpumalanga police officer appeared in the Badplaas Periodical Court on Thursday for allegedly stealing cattle worth about R45 000, police said.
The trial of Constable Elmon Motha, 30, was postponed to August 18 when he was expected to bring a formal bail application, said Lieutenant Colonel Leonard Hlathi.
Motha was arrested in June this year for allegedly stealing 10 cattle from a farm in Badplaas.
Hlathi said the owners informed the police that the cattle were spotted in Tjakastad, near Ermelo.
“Upon arrival, the police met the man who produced documents and also claimed to be the owner. He later said he bought the cattle from a police officer after realising that the police had evidence that proved they were stolen,” he said. - Sapa
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Motorist records R3000 JMPD bribe
March 28 2011 at 05:01pm
By Thandi Skade
By Thandi Skade
.
Threatened: Ruddy Milambo says metro police wanted R3000 after he produced a certified copy of his driving licence.
Call a friend. That was the instruction given by a Joburg metro police (JMPD) officer to a motorist unable to withdraw enough money to pay a R3 000 bribe he claims was solicited from him.
The Star is in possession of audio recordings of two JMPD officers secretly taped by Ruddy Milambo while he was being held for 90 minutes, waiting for friends to bring him the funds.
Milambo was pulled over by JMPD officers on William Nicol Drive in Fourways, just before the N1 to Pretoria on-ramp, during the early hours of March 19. When he produced a certified copy of his driving licence, he was accused of producing fake documentation.
“I didn’t think anything of using the certified copy. I’ve used it to file an accident report and at other roadblocks without problems. I carry a certified copy because I’ve lost my licence before and it was a mission to get a new one, and I’m scared of losing it,” he said.
Officers then discovered that Milambo – originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but in possession of a permanent residence permit – was a foreigner and demanded to search the car for drugs. Finding nothing, the officers accused him of producing fake licences and threatened to arrest him for fraud.
They gave him two options – go with them to the police station or pay a R3 000 spot “fine”.
In one recording, a JMPD officer is heard asking if he can pay R2 000, and when Milambo says he had already spent the money, the officer replies, “the best thing is for you to go via a police station and see what can happen because we can’t, we can’t (leave you)”, threatening to arrest Milambo.
“I pleaded with them to verify my licence number to prove it was real. They refused. When I questioned the fine, pointing out a fine for a motorist caught without a licence was far less, they told me not to be clever,” Milambo said.
He said he was shoved into a bakkie and driven to an ATM at the BP garage down the road. Milambo unsuccessfully attempted to withdraw cash, but had already reached his limit.
In the second recording taken at the ATM, the officer is heard saying: “Isn’t there somebody that you can call?”
A friend quickly came with R600. Milambo had R700 cash on him, but officers allegedly claimed it wasn’t enough.
Milambo was forced to call a friend, who later arrived with R800. The officers then released Milambo and left the scene with the licence copy
.
Randburg police spokesman Warrant Officer Johannes Maja confirmed a case of corruption against the JMPD officers was being investigated.
JMPD spokesman Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar condemned the officers’ conduct, but warned motorists against giving in to crooked cops or they, too, could face criminal charges.
Minnaar said an investigation would be launched. “If they are found guilty, they will be dismissed,” he said.
Crimes of the South African Police Service
JMPD 'threatens' sick resident
...show more altercation with JMPD "officers" took place. ...show less
Diabetic man threatened by JMPD officers with no identification.
10 October 2012 | Riaan van Zyl
Being a diabetic, Jan von der Heyde takes a walk along the same route every day and usually greets the JMPD officers speed-trapping on JG Strijdom Road.
On 21 September however, when he exercised his right as a citizen, things turned nasty.
Three days prior to the incident he noticed that the female officer operating the camera had no identification badge and asked her about it.
She said it was in the car and he left it at that, feeling that it is a perfectly plausible excuse.
The next day passing the same spot he saw the same officer not wearing her name badge and again he asked her where it was.
This time she said she left it at home.
He also asked her to see the certification for the use of the camera which she could produce but, according to him, because she could not be identified the certification could have been for any person.
On the third day the same officer, on being asked, said that she actually did not know where her name badge was.
It is a fact that names are being embroidered onto uniforms at the moment but there should be some kind of identification, he feels.
When he confronted the female (this time accompanied by a colleague) he said that for all purposes the two could be arrested for impersonating officers.
This sparked a physical reaction as she apparently hit his camera out of his hands and threatened to pepper spray him.
He managed to photograph the vehicle her colleague was sitting in. The Northsider is in the process of determining wether the licence plate is that of a private or JMPD vehicle and has the surname of one of the persons.
According to a source at Justice Project South Africa Von der Heyden could indeed have laid a charge of impersonating a police officer as well as threatening with violence and damage to property against them.
Not being identifiable also creates the perfect situation for accepting bribes.
Von der Heyden says that he is too scared of being persecuted by the JMPD and even disguised himself for the photograph.
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Metro cops corruption shocker
By: The Admininstrator
Article #1181 | Posted on 2012-10-12 at 09:40
Johannesburg - It’s official - corruption is rampant and widespread among Joburg Metro Police Department officers, with over 50 percent having asked for bribes and one in four motorists being targeted.
And until senior management, City of Joburg officials and politicians acknowledge the extent of the corruption, there is unlikely to be an improvement.
Read more……….
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Crimes of the South African Police Service
Yes, cops are involved in hijackings
May 17 2012 at 09:32am
By Shain Germaner
By Shain Germaner
In the majority of the incidents, the three to five gang members were seen driving a white Golf GTI.
Seven hijackings in two weeks have persuaded investigators that a gang of police impersonators are terrorising the northern and eastern suburbs.
However, police higher-ups are saying the crimes could not have been committed without the help of corrupt police officers.
This latest development came after The Star’s report on Monday of an incident on Main Road in Bryanston, where resident Ryan Pickford was hijacked and subjected to almost two hours of verbal abuse at gunpoint after being “arrested” by men claiming to be police officers.
Numerous other similar incidents have been reported to The Star since the story appeared. The police say four other incidents have been confirmed in seven days. However, another two incidents that took place earlier this month have also come to The Star’s attention.
In all seven cases, the drivers of expensive cars have been pulled over by unmarked vehicles using a blue light.
After pulling over, the victims were approached by men in full police uniform and carrying R5 rifles, who would handcuff and “arrest” them.
The victims’ cars would then be stolen, with the victim driven around in the back of the “police” vehicle for hours before being dropped off a few kilometres from where they were hijacked.
In the majority of the incidents, the three to five gang members were seen driving a white Golf GTI.
DON’T STOP IN DESERTED AREAS
Now the police are warning Joburg residents to avoid pulling over in deserted areas at night and suggest driving to well-lit and populated places (such as petrol stations) before coming to a stop.
The Gauteng police’s head of visible policing, Major-General Phumzo Gela, said it was well within a driver’s right to drive to the nearest police station when being pursued by police vehicles – marked or unmarked – and that a police officer must give his identity if asked for it.
“These are your rights. We are here to serve you,” said Gela.
He called on residents in the affected areas to report any information that might assist to 10111, as five of the cases had been centralised and a task team put together to deal with them.
Suspicious-looking blue-light vehicles should be remembered, with residents taking down registration numbers and any other details, including the name tags and badges of police officers when pulled over.
“We can’t deny that members of the police force are involved,” Gela said, adding that police commanders would be investigating their forces to root out any potential officers supporting this gang with equipment or uniforms.
Gela also asked that the public not forget all the good work done by the police over the past two years, a time in which crime statistics in Gauteng had dropped steadily.
Police have not identified any suspects in the blue-light gang that has stolen at least seven cars.
None of the victims in the hijackings have been harmed.
Gangs in uniform have been stalking Gauteng drivers for years
* Ryan Pickford was pulled over by a white Golf GTI on Friday after visiting his son and wife in high care at Morningside Clinic.
He had been driving up Main Road in Bryanston at around 8pm when the car signalled for him to pull over.
The officers asked to search his car, and when he said no, they harassed him for a few minutes until he agreed.
The officers, in full uniform and carrying R5 rifles and handguns, instructed him to get out of the vehicle, and when he obliged, they handcuffed him.
They led him to their car, and another man drove off in his Porsche Cayenne.
When he was handcuffed in the back seat, he was informed that he was being hijacked. He was kept at gunpoint for almost an hour-and-a-half and was harassed verbally before being dropped off in the veld in Centurion.
* Rahendra Naidoo was also a victim of what appears to be the same men driving the same car.
On May 7 he was pulled over in Sonnebloem Road in Midrand by five uniformed men, who were also wielding heavy rifles.
The men told him that his Mazda MPS had been reported stolen, and arrested him.
One of the men drove off in his car, and he was placed in the back of a white Golf GTI.
The criminals spent a large portion of the three-hour kidnapping asking Naidoo for the details of his car's tracking system, before eventually shoving him into the car's boot.
He was reassured that he would not be hurt and that the men were “professionals”, before being dropped off in a secluded area in Lombardy East. His car was recovered in Soweto a few days later.
* On May 9, just days after Rahendra Naidoo was relieved of his car, another man, whose identity has not been determined by The Star, was also stopped by a blue-light gang travelling in a Golf GTI.
The man had been making his way past Blue Valley golf course on Beauly Avenue in Midrand.
A source at the man's vehicle-tracking company said he had also been pulled over by men claiming to be police officers before being taken from the scene and dumped dozens of kilometres away several hours later. The location of the man's Audi RS4 is unknown.
* IOL’s own motoring editor, Jason Woosey, experienced his own “police” hijacking in Bryanston in 2010.
He had also been travelling through Bryanston when he was pulled over by a black Audi with a blue light near the corner of William Nicol and Main Road.
The uniformed men kidnapped him and left him in Modderfontein after stealing his car. The case was reported at the Douglasdale police station in March 2010. No arrests have been made.
* Kyle Goncalves was also a victim in June 2010, but of a gang bold enough to use a marked police vehicle. Driving along Baart Avenue in Raslow, Centurion, the men told him to get out of his Golf GTI.
“As I jumped out and presented my licence, two of the cops grabbed me and threw me in the back seat of my car. I was with these guys for about three hours, making four stops on the way.
“I then had a black bag put over my head and was dragged through the veld, where I was left alone for a couple of minutes, thinking that I was going to die,” said Goncalves.
Another group of people picked the traumatised man up and told him to relax as they were “the drop-off guys”.
They dropped him off in Pretoria and told him to run and not look back, or else he would be killed.
shain.germaner@inl.co.za
-The Star
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