DA reports North West police commissioner to IPID for refusing to accept complaint against premier

The Democratic Alliance has filed a complaint with the Independent Police Investigation Directorate (IPID) to investigate the North West acting provincial police commissioner‚ Patrick Asaneng‚ for interference with police work‚ and refusing to accept or investigate a criminal complaint.

This is after the DA tried to lay charges on Friday against North West premier Supra Mahumapelo for alleged incitement to violence following what it referred to as his “reckless‚ discriminatory and racially inciting comments” made at the funeral service of Matlhomola Jonas Moshoeu (16) who is alleged to have been killed by two white farm workers.

• DA reports North West police commissioner to IPID for refusing to accept complaint against premierThe Democratic Alliance has filed a complaint with the Independent Police Investigation Directorate (IPID) to investigate the North West acting provincial police commissioner‚ Patrick Asaneng‚ for interference with police work‚ and refusing to accept or investigate a criminal complaint. 

Leader of the DA in the province Joe McGluwa said on Sunday the party believed that Asaneng had wrongly interfered wit the work of the local Coligny police‚ and acted to protect Mahumapelo.

He said that on Friday when the DA had approached the police station they were surprised to find Asaneng personally manning the community service centre - formerly known as the charge office - and not allowing the local Coligny police to interact with them.

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“Asaneng knew we were coming‚ as a detailed Media Advisory was released and some media covered our intention to lay charges. Asaneng refused to introduce himself‚ state his name or rank‚ and when we enquired about his rankings‚ he would only say that he is a Groot Krokodil (big crocodile).

“He refused to accept our complaint and refused for the SAPS to listen to our complaint and take our statement. Instead he instructed us to leave the station and only come back if we could file what would essentially be a fully investigated and ready-for-prosecution case containing all the elements of the crime. In other words‚ he refused that the SAPS would even investigate the matter at all‚ and would only open a case if the DA did the work of the SAPS‚” McGluwa charged.

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He said the acting provincial police commissioner had refused to answer questions when he was asked whether the police don’t take statements themselves anymore.

“When asked if he would ever‚ under any circumstances open a case and give us a case number‚ he responded: ‘No promises’.

“We believe that this amounts to direct interference by Police leadership in the opening and investigation of a criminal case against the ANC premier. The Provincial Police Commissioner of any province should not interfere in the opening of any case‚ not least a high-level matter against the Premier‚ by the Leader of the Opposition.

“We therefore request that the IPID investigates Asaneng‚” said McGluwa. . He said the DA would still submit its incitement of violence case against the premier to an alternative SAPS station in North West‚ “without alerting Asaneng this time‚ and we expect a full investigation”.

“Supra cannot be allowed to divide races and fuel racial tension in our province unchecked‚ which has only added to the violence and unrest in Coligny. There is no place in our democratic South Africa for police leadership to protect ANC elites from the law catching up with them. The police must accept all cases and investigate them freely and fairly‚” McGluwa added.