SAPS paid overtime to 62 cops for work at Gupta wedding

SIXTY- TWO police officers were paid overtime for their work during the Gupta wedding, Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa said in response to a parliamentary question.

Responding to the question by IFP MP Velaphi Ndlovu, regarding overtime payments to SAPS members who provided services during the threeday wedding, Mthethwa said “SAPS followed process in regard to this matter, and 62 members received overtime”.

The minister did not outline how much this cost, or what work the 62 had done.

His spokesman Zweli Mnisi said he could not provide a total cost of the overtime, but that payments had been made to those officers on official police duty, and not those moonlighting at the event.

The government launched an investigation into the Gupta wedding after it was found that guests of the family landed at Waterkloof Airforce Base in a private jet. And while the correct permissions were not granted for the landing, the investigation found that despite initially refusing to police the event, SAPS were “within their rights to treat the matter as requiring police involvement”.

The report states that SAPS members from Gauteng and North West were involved in the wedding. SAPS border control police were also present at the base, and flying squad members were seen outside the base.

Sixty-two police officers and 31 police vehicles from Gauteng were used for “route security”, according to the report, which also states that “extra-ordinary deployments were made that necessitated the utilisation of members who were not on duty”.

This, the report states, cost R47 000. It is unclear whether this amount was the total amount paid for overtime.

In total, 194 government personnel were found to have been involved in the event, utilising government vehicles. Several police officers, as well as metro police officers, were also found to be moonlighting as private security.