Police misconduct probe to be followed up
July 31 2006 at 08:30am
By Anél Powell
Disciplinary action will be taken against a high-ranking Gordon's Bay metro police officer who has admitted that he transports meat in his official car while on duty.
Commander Charl Kitching told police management he brought "meat products" to the Gordon's Bay metro police office once a month.
But he denied that he was running a butchery from the office, as alleged by Gordon's Bay Village Action Group co-ordinator, Barbara Louw.
He said the "Viennas, salami, bacon, sausage and Russians" brought "from residence for his colleagues in the boot of his official vehicle" was not a business venture "but just a favour".
Kitching made his admission during an internal police investigation, ordered by metro police chief Bongani Jonas, into allegations of widespread corruption and irregularities in the Helderberg's metro police.
Jonas called for the urgent probe after it emerged last week at an informal meeting of concerned residents from Gordon's Bay, Strand and Somerset West, and Cape Town Mayor Helen Zille and the mayoral committee member for safety and security, Dumisani Ximbi, that the metro police were "in complete chaos".
Residents told Zille the police office was often closed, telephones were seldom answered and police cars were being used for private errands.
Louw said she had complaints from the community about police officers selling meat from the police office.
Irregularities investigated by the police included allegations of high-ranking officers using patrol cars for private work at a security company, the escalation of crime because of poor law enforcement, the shortage of staff during the critical Christmas and New Year periods, and the redeployment of Helderberg staff to assist with countering land invasions in Delft, the recent strikes and patrols on the N2 highway.
According to Pinky Mathabathe, deputy chief of metro police's internal and civilian affairs, the investigation into these allegations is ongoing.
Mathabathe states in the report: "We have not received any evidence of substance from members in the directorate or any other person."
He said Louw "refused to make any submission towards the investigation".
Louw said on Sunday that she had not been contacted by the police or asked to submit a report. "But I would not participate. I don't believe I should be involved in the report."
Louw has received an anonymous telephone call, allegedly from a police officer who wanted to talk to her about the allegations.
She said she knew she took a risk by going public, but meetings with police management in Gordon's Bay were fruitless.
"We have been meeting since February and nothing was done."
Mathabathe recommended that the Helderberg residents and members of the metro police provide evidence for further investigation into the allegations.
Kitching could not be reached for comment, but according to the police report, he said he was prepared to apologise if he had "transgressed any provisions of the city's policies" by bringing meat to his colleagues.
