Cele tells MPs no culture of ‘brutality’ in SAPS
Police Minister Bheki Cele told Parliament’s police committee on Wednesday that claims of a culture of brutality within SAPS are wide of the mark.
Cele made the remarks during a briefing by the South African Police Service and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate on the assault of three motorists by members of the police’s VIP protection Unit.
The police officers, who have since been arrested, were attached to the security detail of Deputy President Paul Mashatile.
The incident on the N1 highway in Johannesburg led to a public outcry after it was captured on video.
Inkatha Freedom Party MP Zandile Majozi told Cele that in her experience, police officers are “angry” and “always resort to brutally attacking ordinary South Africans”.
"I do not know, minister,” Majozi said.
“Some of your members are angry. They have anger issues. I do not know if it's the kind of work they do. Police attack ordinary citizens all the time, but we never find out because there will be no video.”
Cele responded by saying the same issues plague his department as any other sector of society.
"SAPS members go wayward, like all the other organisations. There will be members in any given organisation that will behave otherwise. Even in church, there are several trials going on. So, these things happen".
Cele also urged MPs to allow the law to take its course.
"I do not understand if, and when police respond to such situations, it is regarded as police brutality. South African police are one of those services that are practising their work under brutal situations. Many criminals plan and eliminate police officers,” he said.
"These members deal with people that kill their own kids and wives. South African police members are recruited from the very same society. They do not differ much on the behaviour that South Africans are doing.
“The apple does not fall far from the tree.”
Mashatile ‘was not on the scene’
Cele used the opportunity to clarify the whereabouts of Deputy President Paul Mashatile at the time of the incident.
"The DP was in the convoy, not on the crime scene. Two of the cars headed off to deal with the matter. He realised at home that the incident had happened," Cele said.
At the same time, IPID’s acting director of IPID Tiiso Makoloane defended the amount of time it took to arrest the cops, saying they had to investigate the case thoroughly.
"Investigations involve a number of aspects. You cannot just investigate and take a decision based on what you see at face value. You need to go deeper and gather information, confirming the crime scene, interview the witnesses, getting medical records so that we see whether the case meets the definition of assault GBH.
"We have done our level best in terms of the investigation. We are finalising from our side. If there is more information required by the court regarding the case, we will definitely do that," said Makoloane.
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola confirmed the officers remain on suspension with pay.
"The policy currently with suspension, it is with pay except for the days when they were in incarceration.”
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