More arrests expected as 20 Tshwane police officers appear in court for taking bribes

More arrests are expected of Tshwane metro police department (TMPD) officers for taking bribes from motorists as prosecution for 20 officers nabbed last year resumes next week.

Tshwane community safety MMC Grandi Theunissen told TimesLIVE 20 officers were arrested for corruption during a five-month period.

While the officers' criminal cases were still at initial stages, Theunissen said the municipality would not wait for court outcomes to punish those found guilty in their internal disciplinary processes.

“The internal investigations are complete and the disciplinary process is under way. Prosecution of the officers will be done by an independent attorney with experience in labour relations. If they are found guilty, one of the punishments will be termination of employment,” Theunissen said.

None of the police officers have been dismissed yet.

Theunissen was hopeful that the courts would find the officers guilty, saying in all cases there was sufficient evidence including video footage and proof of bank transactions.

“I am monitoring the prosecution process to ensure that we make examples of these people.”

He said reports from motorists subsided after a string of arrests.

“I used to get calls daily from people reporting officers who wanted bribes from them but now I get one or two calls a week.”

The MMC said internal investigations were still under way and more arrests were imminent.

Last July, two officers were arrested in a case that directly involved Theunissen.

Theunissen stopped at the corner of Lois Avenue and Solomon Mahlangu Drive in Erasmuskloof on July 10, after seeing two officers with a woman driving a new car.

He said he left the woman after she said everything was fine. However, a day later he received a call from the woman who said after he had left she was asked to pay R3,000 or her car would be impounded.

According to Theunissen, the woman claimed the officers followed her home where she made an e-wallet payment. He said the officers were also captured on CCTV footage in front of the woman’s home.

The two officers, aged 39 and 40, were arrested and charged with extortion and corruption.

In November, two TMPD officers were summoned to appear in court after the Hawks investigated a tow-truck extortion syndicate.

Hawks spokesperson Captain Lloyd Ramovha said the probe was initiated after a motorist reported parking a vehicle in the Pretoria CBD that was later towed by a TMPD truck.

Ramovha said when the motorist went to the pound in Madiba Street, two officers said she must bring R1,200 after 5pm when their commander had knocked off to get her vehicle. Their case continues in the Pretoria magistrate’s court.