Q&A with Sapu president Mpho Kwinika on crooked cops

The South African Policing Union attacked Police Minister Fikile Mbalula for removing police officers accused by communities in Krugersdorp of being in cahoots with criminals. Chris Barron asked Sapu president Mpho Kwinika ...

04 February 2018 - 00:00 By CHRIS BARRON

Why did you demand an apology from the minister for acting on serious complaints about senior police officers?
Because those officers are not crooks and they're not in the pockets of crooks.
How do you know that?
They were never found guilty in any tribunal.
Because there hasn't been any tribunal? Now that someone has acted at last, shouldn't you support him?
We do support him when he does good things. But it doesn't mean when people make an allegation against you, you are guilty of those things. Anything we do must be within the confines of the law. If the minister says things which are malicious and injurious to people, that is unlawful and should not be condoned by anyone.
What about the unlawful behaviour of your members?
We don't condone that conduct by police officers. But this institution is highly regulated. It has got policies, it has got regulations, it's got standing orders, it's got everything.So why are there so many rogue cops?
It means that the command and control environment is weak. But officers who are involved in crime are tried and found guilty.
Weren't the protests because they have not been tried?
Just because they accuse them doesn't mean these officers have done wrong.
Do you agree that in a case like this something needs to be done?
The politicians must do their job, and allow police officers to do their work.
How can officers not be removed with such serious allegations against them?
You can remove them, but you must use the rules to do so.
Can they remain with such serious allegations against them?
Just because there are allegations you can't say they have committed these things.
They have not stopped drug trafficking and kidnapping in the area. Isn't this enough reason for them to be removed?
They have never been implicated and their stations have been doing well until this political debacle.Didn't your own secretary-general say crime intelligence had verified the complaints of the community?
What he's saying is that there is a problem with crime intelligence. Crime intelligence is weak.
Do you agree that swift action needs to be taken against rotten or nonperforming officers?
The management have got a tool to measure nonperforming police officers.
So do you accept this is a major problem?
I accept that there is a problem with discipline.
That's putting it very mildly, isn't it? According to police records 1400 serving officers have criminal records.
You should find out how many have been convicted.
They've got criminal records, haven't they?
Gauteng reported that they dismissed 802...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.