78 criminal cops fired in E Cape
Civil claims skyrocket to R51m – with R3.5bn still pending
IN JUST 18 months, the South Africa Police Service in the Eastern Cape has fired 73 police officers guilty of rape, murder, kidnapping, dealing in drugs and possession of stolen vehicles.
The shocking details were tabled by safety and liaison MEC Weziwe Tikana at the provincial legislature recently.
Some of the officers were found guilty of other serious crimes including armed robbery, fraud, corruption, theft, loss of a firearm, culpable homicide and defeating the ends of justice.
Tikana revealed that civil claims against the SAPS in the province had almost doubled in the past financial year.
Responding to parliamentary questions posed by DA MPL Bobby Stevenson, Tikana confirmed the amount claimed had skyrocketed from R28.3-million during the financial year that ended in March 2015, to R51million by March this year.
Tikana revealed that R28-million was paid for 667 civil claims instituted in the 2014-15 financial year, while R51-million was paid for 781 claims in 2015-16.
These figures could escalate dramatically. More than 5 100 pending claims, valued at R3.5billion, were still outstanding, Tikana said.
Stevenson yesterday said there had been an upward trend in claims paid, with R15.3million paid in 2011-12 for 506 claims, R23.9-million in 2012-13 for 538 claims, and R33.6-million being paid out in 2013-14 for more than 660 claims lodged.
Tikana told the legislature that 58 officers from across the province were dismissed in 2015-16, while 15 had been axed so far this year.
In a report about civil claims, Tikana revealed that some of the millions were paid out after police were found to have illegally shot at 99 people and wrongfully assaulted 183 other civilians.
Other claims were for wrongful detention, defamation, negligence, illegal search and seizure, loss or damage to private property, and being involved in 208 vehicle collisions.
Tikana said identified police stations where most of these claims emanated from are frequently visited by police legal officials “to conduct risk inspections with a view to address challenges that have a potential to lead to incidents resulting in reoccurrence of civil claims”.
“The issue of civil claims has been identified as one of the risk areas for the SAPS and it is monitored by the provincial risk enterprise committee.
“Management is on a monthly basis provided with stats, [and the] nature and trends regarding civil claims, with a view to implement proactive measures for reduction,” she said.
She added: “As a deterrent and in cases where gross negligence is determined, decisions as to members’ forfeiting of state protection are made, and the loss to the state in respect of the payment of civil claims,