The Democratic Alliance (DA) can reveal that of the 1959 suspected corruption cases reported to South African Police Service (SAPS) over the past three years in terms of the Companies Act, only 370 are being investigated, with an appalling total of only 135 convictions secured so far. Furthermore, of a total of 581 cases of other corruption and bribery cases reported to SAPS, just 23 are currently under investigation, and only 99 cases have resulted in convictions.
This was revealed in a reply to a DA Parliamentary Question on how many of the cases reported to the SAPS and the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) in terms of the Prevention and Combatting of Corrupt Activities Act 12 of 2004 have been investigated and prosecuted.
This low number of investigations and poor conviction rate speaks directly to the incapacity of the police to do its most basic job of investigating crimes. It underscores the need for an honest and professional police service as we have been calling for.
Only 19% of cases of suspected corruption reported to SAPS in terms of the Companies Act over the last three financial years are being investigated and less than 8% has resulted in convictions so far. As far as other reports cases of suspected corruption and bribery are concerned, only 4% are being investigated and less than 18% has resulted in convictions. This makes an absolute mockery of South Africa’s criminal justice system.
The Hawks do not fare much better than the SAPS. Of a total of 2262 cases of suspected corruption reported to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), there have only been 523 convictions over the past three years – that is about 23%, or less than a quarter.
Looking at these statistics, it is little wonder that companies like Bosasa have been able to get away with their misdeeds over more than a decade.
These numbers speak to the ANC’s penchant for corruption and how it has now seeped into the police. The failing ANC government has become utterly complacent and focused only on enriching themselves.
A DA run South African Police Service will completely overhaul the service, to make it more honest and provincial. The DA will curb corruption, hire people with a passion for policing and retraining police officers to ensure that they serve and protect South Africans.