By Levy Masiteng
The Democratic Alliance is calling for an urgent, independent audit of all SA Police Service personnel serving in high-risk and sensitive positions, particularly those stationed in courts, correctional facilities and specialised units such as anti-gang task teams.
This comes after a SAPS court orderly was arrested in Cape Town’s Kleinvlei, a gang-plagued area, for allegedly dealing in drugs.
He was allegedly found with 965 Mandrax tablets and a bank bag of tik on Saturday.
DA National Council of Province’s member Nicholas Gotsell claimed the arrested officer had a history of misconduct, including a previous implication in illicit activity while serving in the SAPS Metro K9 Unit.
Despite this, he was reassigned to the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court, placing him in daily contact with detainees.
Gotsell said he was outraged by the SAPS leadership.
“In the midst of a relentless gang and drug war on the Cape Flats, such negligence allows criminal syndicates to exploit weaknesses across the police, courts and correctional services with impunity,” he said in a statement.
Gotsell said many officers had recently been arrested or implicated in drug-related crimes in the province.
They included a police officer in George who was allegedly caught with drugs and a Belhar officer who was arrested for allegedly being in possession of cocaine.
“These patterns point to a broader institutional rot,” said Gotsell.
The DA has written to Western Cape police commissioner Thembisile Patekile, demanding an urgent explanation for the SAPS member’s continued employment in a sensitive position.
“The war on drugs demands ethical, credible policing,” he said.
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