‘Sleeping’ cops who didn’t act on rape call probed

The South Africa Police Service (Saps) has launched an internal investigation after officers failed to respond to a rape incident, says spokeswoman Lirandzu Themba.

A video surfaced on social media at the weekend of a man filming the police officers who work at the Roodepoort police station sleeping on the job.

In the video, the man can be heard expressing his dissatisfaction after the officer had failed to answer his calls when he tried to report a rape incident.

“Ma’am, I phoned here twice and I have asked you for your help and you couldn’t help me. I got into my car and drove here to tell you that they are raping a lady here on the corner of 7th Avenue and 7th Street and you refuse to speak to me,” the unidentified man said.

“Is that correct ma’am? I’m speaking to you.

“Is that how you treat the public after you have given your oath that you will protect the public?”

Themba said on Twitter: “An urgent internal investigation is underway to look into this serious allegation that SA Police Service officers who were on night duty were sleeping and failed to respond to complaints from a member of the public.”