Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal remain the most dangerous areas to be arrested in according to a recent annual report by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid).
The audited Ipid report for the 2021/2022 financial year, Gauteng had the highest number of deaths in police custody with 132 followed by KwaZulu-Natal at 52 cases.
The two provinces also led in deaths as a result of police action with KwaZulu-Natal recording 435 cases reported and Gauteng with 350.
With regards to complaints relating to the discharged of an official firearm, Gauteng led with 583 incidents followed by 559 cases.
The 178-page report was tabled before parliament on Wednesday. It showed that some of the serious crimes at the hands of police were on the rise nationally.
Deaths in police custody surged from 217 in the previous financial year to 223 while cases related to illegal discharge of firearms dropped from 830 to 744.
The report further showed that rape cases opened against police officers surged from 80 to 99 while rape incidents of people in custody fell from 15 to two cases.
Cases opened against police for torture dropped from 256 to 192 and although still very high, assault cases dropped from 4,228 to 3,407.
The report further revealed that there were 59 total cases of corruption opened against police and municipal officers.
In this category, Gauteng led with 31 followed by Mpumalanga with eight and Free State and KwaZulu-Natal with four.
In the reporting year, 53 officers were dismissed from the service, 21 received a verbal warning, 77 got a written warning, 46 got a final written warning, 19 had their salaries suspended and 23 had to be sent to corrective counselling.
There are currently 1,401 cases that have been referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for which Ipid is awaiting a response. The NPA decline to prosecute 964 cases.
Ipid is also awaiting NPA decisions on 2,427 cases.
“The department’s target for registration and allocation of cases is 80% within 72 hours of receipt. Ipid registered a total of 5,295 cases during the period under review and managed to allocate 4,626 cases within 72 hours. An allocation rate of 87% was therefore achieved,” read the report.
Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said the high number of crimes by police is concerning.
“This is a worrying state of affairs and it is something that needs to be closely looked into... just as the killing of police officers needs to be closely interrogated as part of ensuring that all forms of losses of life are prevented,” said Mamabolo.
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