Rogue cops are being watched

Hawks in process of cleaning up its act

Plans are afoot to get rid of rogue cops within the Hawks to win back the people’s trust.

This is expected to be one of newly appointed Hawks boss Godfrey Lebeya’s priorities when he outlines his plan to fight crime.

Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi told Sowetan yesterday the priority crime investigation police unit wants to clean itself up.

“The SAPS continues to rid itself of corrupt members and the Ipid (Independent Police Investigative Directorate) is also playing a leading role. Some are still going to court and our mandate is to investigate to convict,” he said.

This comes at a time when police have been linked to cash-in-transit robberies that have rocked the country.

“These concerns [about rogue cops] have been receiving attention. Those found to be in conflict with the law, their days are numbered,” Mulaudzi said.

National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Khehla Sitole last month told Parliament’s portfolio committee on police that lifestyle audits were underway to get rid of corruption within police ranks.

At a recent SACP central committee meeting in Johannesburg, SACP spokesman Alex Mashilo said that the entire criminal justice system had to win back the confidence of the people through the results of their work.

“It is absolutely crucial to deal decisively with state capture and the criminal gangs that had infiltrated the police. It is important for South Africans to know why the rot of corporate state capture and other forms of corruption prevailed as if these authorities were nonexistent,” Mashilo said.