Efforts to clamp down on police corruption are under-resourced and fragmented, resulting in sanction for wrongdoing meted out to only a minority of officers, according to a new report.
The Institute for Security Studies hosted a panel discussion to look at interventions to deal with the issue. Corruption within the police service and metro policing units are under scrutiny in two major inquiries being conducted by the Madlanga commission and an ad hoc parliamentary committee.
A report, Tackling Police Corruption in South Africa, was written by independent policing researcher David Bruce and former ISS expert Gareth Newham, who is now a special adviser to the minister of police.
According to the findings, SAPS members are often unwilling to report crime or corruption by colleagues because they fear negative consequences for themselves.
Bruce and Newham said while the SAPS has introduced multiple anti-corruption strategies, it has not implemented intelligence-driven measures to ensure that corruption is tackled effectively.
They note that the SAPS anti-corruption investigation unit (ACIU) is substantially under-resourced and that despite evidence of misconduct, a majority (77%) of SAPS disciplinary hearings do not result in meaningful accountability.
The report shows that despite some arrests and disciplinary actions, very few officers involved in corruption are actually convicted or face serious punishment. This low rate of punishment makes it easier for corruption to continue.
Thuso Keefelakae, acting national head of investigations at the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), said with the establishment of the Madlanga commission and the ad hoc committee, there’s been a sense that “corruption might have hidden itself with the law enforcement agencies”.
“Because now the revelations that are coming out suggest that corruption has been so deep that even with the knowledge or the understanding that we thought we had for all these years, it may now seem like the tip of an iceberg,” he said.
He said in some of the cases Ipid investigates, including murder, corruption, and torture, “we’ve found that some law enforcement officers are working in cahoots with external actors”.
“In certain cases, victims have even been thrown into lakes to hide evidence. These are the harsh realities we face,” he said.
Keefelakae said this behaviour raises deep concern about whether the perpetrators are genuine officers or criminals posing as police. “Unfortunately, intelligence indicates these are real police officers.”
Corruption was rife even at senior levels.
“Nepotism is rampant and glaring at the top structures. If this is happening at that level, imagine what’s taking place on the ground.”
He cautioned that unless drastic reforms are implemented, South Africa could “one day wake up without policing” as corruption continues to erode law enforcement.
The report highlights that several senior police officials in South Africa have been implicated in corruption and criminal activities since 2008. These allegations include serious charges such as fraud, accepting bribes, and working with criminal organisations. Some of these high-ranking officers have been arrested, faced court cases or are under investigation.
Newham said that systemic reforms are critical, particularly in appointing senior leadership.
One of his main concerns was the lack of collaboration between law enforcement agencies.
Newham emphasised that top command structures must be willing to co-operate with oversight bodies and other agencies.
“It shouldn’t be SAPS versus Ipid. SAPS generals should aim for a professional, honest and highly trusted police service and they need to see Ipid as a strong partner, not a competitor, in removing officers who abuse their authority for personal gain or to benefit criminal networks,” he said.
He believes that strengthening the police service cannot happen in isolation.
“If you hire 30,000 more officers but don’t increase court hours, prosecutors or forensic support, you just create bottlenecks. We need a systemic approach, one that ensures every part of the criminal justice system, from home affairs to correctional services, works together. Strategies exist, but the challenge has always been proper implementation,” Newham said.
Kavisha Pillay, executive director: campaign on digital ethics and former member of the national anti-corruption advisory council, said South Africa must address both leadership appointments in law enforcement and the broader political culture.
“We have to reconfigure how we do politics in our country, because I think the lack of proper accountability, where politicians aren’t representing the needs of people, allows for what we’re seeing right now. But those aren’t easy fixes. We have to see some fundamental changes, because I don’t think it’s sustainable any more for us to continue on the path that we’ve been on for years,” she said.
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