Dear Editor
The DA backs the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police call for an independent commission of inquiry and lifestyle audits for all senior SAPS officials.
The allegations against Minister Mchunu, by KwaZulu-Natal’s Provincial Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi show that the integrity of the South African Police Service must be urgently repaired. The entire criminal justice system rests on a police service that is able to investigate crime without fear or favour, and the infiltration of criminal elements that can influence who and what is subject to investigation undermines policing entirely.
We call for the President to prioritise this crisis by urgently launching an independent investigation into these allegations. It is also time to implement long-standing proposals, including lifestyle and skills audits of all senior SAPS officers, proper vetting, and the reconfiguration of Crime Intelligence to ensure only fit and proper individuals serve.
The SAPS is constitutionally mandated to ensure the safety and security of all people within South Africa’s borders not to shield criminals or serve the interests of organised crime. We cannot allow the uniform of law enforcement to become a cloak for corruption. The events of recent weeks have demonstrated a dire need to confront the erosion of integrity in the SAPS with bold, decisive action.
The allegations suggest a deeply embedded network of corruption and misconduct that undermines the rule of law and places communities at further risk. This is not only a betrayal of the SAPS mandate but a direct threat to public safety and confidence in law enforcement.
What is clear is that accountability is necessary and urgent. The people of South Africa deserve to know and feel that the SAPS is made of men and women who are ready to serve in the interest of the country and not for selfish reasons. We cannot continue one more day with criminals masquerading as police officers.
Accountability must no longer be optional. It is time to remove from the ranks those who wear the badge for selfish gain. South Africans deserve a police service defined by honour, not headlines of corruption.
It is time for SAPS to return to its core mission: protecting the people, upholding the law, and serving with integrity without fear, favour or corruption.
Regards
Lisa Schickerling MP
DA Deputy Spokesperson on Police