The South African Policing Union (Sapu) in Gauteng says it is disturbed and saddened by the untimely and tragic death of a member of Sunnyside police station in Tshwane last week.
Sapu said Lt-Col Benjamin Masekela died by suicide at his home in Atteridgeville on April 20 after leaving Sunnyside police station where the station commander apparently spoke to him in a demeaning manner. He will be buried on Saturday.
Sapu said Masekela was a relief commander and was on leave when he received a call from the station commander. She had called him to bring his firearm for inspection and on their meeting, she allegedly made utterances that were not pleasant.
The deceased was told to get back to work even though he was on leave, which he did.
“It is further reported that the member, after all engagements, said that he could not take the abuse anymore and said goodbye to his colleagues.
“The lieutenant then went home and apparently gave his brother his work phone after he made mention that he cannot take this bullying anymore. He apparently went to the back of his house and shot himself where he died,” Sapu said.
There are members who ended up in psychiatric hospitals because of her bullying. There was a captain who stayed at home for two years. He asked not to come back and that he be transferred to another station.
— Police officer at the station
Sapu alleged that the suicide was a result of the alleged bullying by the station commander and this has seemingly been happening for a long time.
“Members at the station have been afraid to report this act formally because they are afraid of further victimisation from her.”
A police member at the station, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that a number of his colleagues had allegedly experienced bullying at the hands of the station commander.
“There are members who ended up in psychiatric hospitals because of her bullying. There was a captain who stayed at home for two years. He asked not to come back and that he be transferred to another station.
“Another member left and did not come to work even though he had not resigned,” the member alleged.
The member alleged that it was not the first time that the station commander had used demeaning words to the deceased.
He said 77 members at the station had sent a petition to Tshwane district commissioner Maj-Gen Samuel Thine complaining about bullying and intimidation and saying they cannot work with the station commander.
The policeman said the petition was sent after the death of Masekela.
“There is a problem that when a member writes a grievance, she has a way of finding out, then she threatens the members. When we are doing it as a collective, people are able to come out and say they had been bullied until we got to 77 officers.”
Asked to comment on whether the SAPS was aware of allegations of inappropriate or demeaning conduct by the station commander prior to Masekela’s death and whether the SAPS has received a petition from members of Sunnyside police station regarding allegations of bullying and intimidation, Gauteng police spokesperson Col Noxolo Kweza did not respond.
“Unfortunately, issues involving SAPS members internally are regarded as internal matters and cannot be discussed in the media. The members who are aggrieved know what internal processes to follow,” Kweza said.
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