Ombud under fire over police complaints

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 02 2017 WITH a budget of just more than R10 million, the Western Cape police ombudsman received close to 100 complaints, but made only one recommendation out of all the complaints received.

This and other information emerged at a briefing of the Western Cape Legislature’s standing committee on community safety on the ombudsman’s annual report for the 2016/17 financial year.

Advocate Vusi Pikoli, who heads the department, said during the year under review they had made only one recommendation to the Bellville police management regarding poor communication.

Mireille Wenger, chairperson of the standing committee, expressed concern at the low number of recommendations.

Pikoli, however, said there might be instances where they receive a complaint and police act speedily.

“The figures perhaps give a misleading picture. The police at times speedily react to the complaints received,” Pikoli added.

Pikoli’s office has previously been sharply criticised by the ANC, which claims it is duplicating the work of the police’s civilian secretariat. Pikoli, however, has told his detractors that his role is very different from that of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.

He also said his office had seen a marked increase in complaints from communities and community policing forums (CPFs).

“The apparent tension and friction between CPFs and the police now extends to the Department of Community Safety. Our office is aware of the problem, and initiatives are in place to prevent an escalation of the tension which is directly traceable to the interim constitution of 1993 and other regulations,” he said.

Pikoli also said the police resource shortage in the Western Cape further threatened proper policing.

“The inadequacy of the resources to ensure efficient investigations and effective visible policing is felt at provincial level.

“The current level of resources puts the safety and security of residents at great risk and requires urgent intervention from the national SAPS,” he said.

The total budget allocation for Pikoli’s office was R10.4m, which comprised R4.4m for salaries (cost of employment), R5.2m for goods and services and R700 000 for machinery and equipment.