TRC Final Report

Volume 5

Chapter 8

Subsection 21

Police involvement in crimes

72 Where it is alleged that a serious crime was carried out by or with the acquiescence of police, the Commission recommends that:

POLICE OFFICERS FROM OUTSIDE THE AREA INVOLVED BE BROUGHT IN TO INVESTIGATE.

PROPER DISCIPLINARY MEASURES BE TAKEN AGAINST POLICE WHO ABUSE THEIR POWERS.

INDEMNITY FOR POLICE WHO ENGAGE IN UNLAWFUL ACTIVITY IN SUPPORT OF THE STATE, EVEN DURING A STATE OF EMERGENCY, BE ERADICATED.

ATTORNEYS-GENERAL RIGOROUSLY PROSECUTE SAPS MEMBERS WHO ARE FOUND TO HAVE ASSAULTED, TORTURED OR KILLED PERSONS IN THEIR CUSTODY, AND THAT ANY MEMBERS OF THE SAPS FOUND TO HAVE REPEATEDLY BEEN ACCUSED OF HAVING USED FORCE IN THE QUESTIONING OF SUSPECTS OR ANY PERSONS IN THEIR CUSTODY, BE SUBJECT TO AN INTERNAL INVESTIGATION, WHICH MAY RESULT IN PROSECUTION.

Recruitment and training

73 The Commission recommends that:

PROFESSIONALISM AND MOTIVATION BE ENHANCED, AND SUSCEPTIBILITY TO CORRUPTION AND UNLAWFUL PRACTICES BE MINIMISED, BY PROMOTING EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES THAT ENCOURAGE MORE EDUCATED, LITERATE AND PROFESSIONAL CANDIDATES TO APPLY FOR EMPLOYMENT AND TO REMAIN IN EMPLOYMENT WITH THE SAPS. PARTICULARLY, IMMEDIATE ATTENTION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO SALARY ISSUES TO ENCOURAGE BETTER CANDIDATES TO APPLY FOR AND REMAIN IN THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE SAPS.

ALL POLICE OFFICERS BE IMBUED, THROUGH TRAINING AND THE INTRODUCTION OF A CODE OF ETHICAL PRACTICE, WITH AN ETHOS OF SERVICE IN A DEMOCRATIC STATE AND UNDER A CULTURE OF HUMAN RIGHTS.

INVESTIGATING OFFICERS BE TRAINED IN PROPER FORENSIC INVESTIGATION TECHNIQUES, TO REPLACE THE CURRENT PRACTICE OF EXTRACTING CONFESSIONS UNDER DURESS, BY VIOLENCE AND OTHER IRREGULAR AND UNORTHODOX METHODS.

THE WORK OF THE DETECTIVE ACADEMY BE EXPANDED AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.