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The contingent cost of civil claims against the SAPS has risen by R3.5 billion over the past year, from R7.5 billion in 2009/10 to R11 billion in 2010/11.

I will today be submitting parliamentary questions to Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa to determine the cause of this increase, and what the SAPS plans to do about it.

Civil claims are those claims that people lodge against the SAPS for various reasons – such as being shot by the Police, held in a cell overnight illegally and being robbed or raped by SAPS members. The value of the SAPS’ civil claims bill equates to 20% of the police department’s annual budget. This is a big deal. And yet the details of this rising misconduct and criminality in the police were tucked away on page 190 of the department’s 2010/11 annual report.

Levels of criminality and misconduct in the police service remain high. According to the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) annual report, 5 869 complaints were received about members of SAPS in 2010/11 alone.

These figures show that the “shoot-to-kill” tactics that resulted in the death of Andries Tatane in May have become commonplace in the police. No wonder public faith in the SAPS is being eroded at a rate of knots.

Minister Mthethwa must account for this state of affairs. I will be submitting parliamentary questions to find out:

• How many legal claims have been made against the SAPS, and how many have been to court?
• What is the nature of these claims?
• How many were cases were won, and how many lost?
• What amount was awarded to the claimant in each lost case?
• How many cases have been, and are being, appealed?
• What has caused the increase in the value of the civil claims in the 2010/11 annual year?

The police service is supposed to serve and protect South Africans. And the Police Department’s funds should be used to defend the South African people against crime, not to pay the price for growing numbers of errant and criminal police officers.