Latest news with #SAPSDisciplineRegulationsof2016
Daily Maverick
20-06-2025
- Daily Maverick
Eastern Cape cop back at work after pleading guilty to armed robbery, 12 more still on duty despite criminal records
A Nelson Mandela Bay police officer who pleaded guilty – in a disciplinary hearing – to charges of armed robbery, possession of stolen property and the possession of an unlicensed firearm has returned to work after a two-month suspension. The DA's Yusuf Cassim however said there were serious irregularities with the officer's disciplinary hearing. A police officer who was working in the child protection unit at the Mount Road Police station in Nelson Mandela Bay has been reinstated, although redeployed to a different police station, after pleading guilty on charges of armed robbery during a disciplinary hearing. This was confirmed by Eastern Cape MEC for Community Safety, Xolile Nqatha, in a written reply to the provincial legislature. Nqatha said the docket for the armed robbery case was opened in Stormsriver and that the criminal matter is still ongoing. He also confirmed that 12 police officers with criminal convictions are currently serving in the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the province, and 217 cases involving police officers are under investigation. Most of the convictions were for police officers helping prisoners escape. The cases included: A police officer at Mount Road SAPS was convicted of assault with the intent to do serious bodily harm. He has received a suspended sentence; An officer in Kareedouw was found guilty of fraud and fined R12,000 in court, of which R6,000 was suspended; An officer working at the Graaff Reinet SAPS was convicted of reckless and negligent driving and paid an admission-of-guilt fine; Officers in Paterson, Tsolo and Kirkwood have all been convicted of helping prisoners escape and received prison sentences of between 6 months and a year; and An officer in Mthatha paid an admission of guilt fine of R1,500 for fraud. The Democratic Alliance's Yusuf Cassim criticised the fact that 12 police officers with criminal convictions, and hundreds more facing criminal charges, are still active members of the Eastern Cape SAPS. 'Not only have these officers broken the law they swore to uphold, they also violated the trust of the residents they serve, some going so far as putting criminal elements back on the street in a province where you are more likely to be raped or murdered than anywhere else in the country,' he said. He said the officer from Mount Road SAPS accused of armed robbery had returned to duty this month, but was redeployed to Kinkelbos SAPS. 'The officer pleaded guilty in an internal disciplinary hearing to aggravated robbery, possession of stolen property and unlawful possession of a firearm, receiving a two-month suspension without pay. The criminal case against him remains ongoing.' He said the officer's disciplinary hearing was chaired by a captain despite the SAPS Discipline Regulations of 2016 requiring that an officer with the rank of brigadier or higher must chair the case. 'This breach raises serious questions about other disciplinary cases that have allowed convicted criminals to remain in positions where they are supposed to enforce the very laws they have been found guilty of breaking,' he said. 'Were their disciplinary hearings also chaired by junior officers? Were proper procedures followed before allowing these criminals to remain in the service? Who authorised these outcomes?' he asked. 'I will be writing to the National Commissioner to request a comprehensive review of all SAPS members with criminal convictions or pending criminal charges in the Eastern Cape, including an examination of the disciplinary processes followed in each case and whether these processes complied with national regulations,' he said.
The Citizen
10-06-2025
- The Citizen
2 Gauteng cops fired after kidnapping and extortion arrests
Two SAPS members have been dismissed following their arrest in connection with kidnapping and extortion, in a case that has sent shockwaves through Gauteng. Vaalweekblad reports that Constables Thabiso Pule Paul Molefe (32) and Paseka Matena (33), both members of the SAPS Highway Patrol Unit, were arrested by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) earlier this year in connection with a case opened in Springs. The two officers were found guilty following internal disciplinary hearings conducted under the SAPS Discipline Regulations of 2016. Both have been sanctioned with dismissal, pending final confirmation by the provincial commissioner. Public reaction to the arrests and dismissals has been swift. Ian Cameron, DA Member of Parliament and well-known policing accountability advocate, took to social media to praise the outcome. 'Some good news: dirty cops out,' he wrote, highlighting this as a meaningful example of consequence management in the SAPS. 'The public demands accountability, and this is a step in the right direction. We need a police service that earns the trust of law-abiding South Africans.' Molefe, who is reportedly the son of a former high-ranking police official, and his co-accused Matena, were allegedly involved in a scheme where they kidnapped victims and extorted money from them under the guise of official police operations. Their arrest and dismissal are being hailed as a success for IPID and an important signal that misconduct within SAPS will not be tolerated. The case also underscores growing calls for transparency and reform in the police service. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
09-06-2025
- The Citizen
Dirty cops dismissed after kidnapping and extortion arrests
Two SAPS members have been dismissed following their arrest for kidnapping and extortion in a case that has sent shockwaves through Gauteng. Constables Thabiso Pule Paul Molefe (32) and Paseka Matena (33), both members of the SAPS Highway Patrol Unit, were arrested by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) earlier this year in connection with a case opened in Springs. The two officers were found guilty following internal disciplinary hearings conducted under the SAPS Discipline Regulations of 2016. Both have been sanctioned with dismissal, pending final confirmation by the Provincial Commissioner. Public reaction to the arrests and dismissals has been swift. Ian Cameron, DA Member of Parliament and well-known policing accountability advocate, took to social media to praise the outcome. 'SOME GOOD NEWS: DIRTY COPS OUT,' he wrote, highlighting this as a meaningful example of consequence management in the SAPS. 'The public demands accountability, and this is a step in the right direction. We need a police service that earns the trust of law-abiding South Africans.' Molefe, who is reportedly the son of a former high-ranking police official, and his co-accused Matena, were allegedly involved in a scheme where they kidnapped victims and extorted money from them under the guise of official police operations. Their arrest and dismissal are being hailed as a success for IPID and an important signal that misconduct within SAPS will not be tolerated. The case also underscores growing calls for transparency and reform in the police service. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
