The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) wishes to express its strongest support for the campaign on professional policing launched by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) today. The campaign aims to tackle corruption in the SAPS and reward good policing.
In support of this initiative I have written to the Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa to request that he re-instate the SAPS anti-corruption unit as a matter of urgency. The ISS report on police corruption, accompanying this campaign, notes the successes of the SAPS anti corruption unit. In one year alone the unit arrested over a thousand corrupt police officers, and investigated over 6 000 corruption allegations. This unit was shut down in 2002 by Jacki Selebi, who was himself convicted of fraud in 2006. Like the Scorpions, the SAPS anti-corruption unit was a victim of its own success.
To our great shame we are again in a situation where the head of the SAPS is embroiled in a corruption scandal. Corruption in the police will only be rooted out when those at the top are held to account.
We, also, therefore re-iterate our call to the President to follow the Public Protector’s recommendations against Police Commissioner Bheki Cele for his involvement in the SAPS lease scandal. As long as no action is taken on this matter the police will continue be seen as corrupt and ineffective.
Police corruption destroys public trust in our law enforcement agencies and tarnishes the entire police service. It is not right that the majority of our hard-working police officers are tarred with the same brush as those who abuse their power.
We have to start rebuilding public trust in the police. Re-instating the previously effective anti-corruption unit will go a long way.