Controversy over houses continues
WATERVAL BOVEN - Complaints about the police station have been streaming in. These include negligence, malice, incompetence and bribery.
Citizens are also questioning if they can trust the police, referring to an incident in which a policeman was suspended for one month and returned to work on April 1.
According to provincial police spokesman, Brig Leonard Hlathi, the policeman was suspended following disciplinary hearings concerning an incident that happened at the station last year.
“A civilian, who was under the influence of alcohol, came into the charge office and jumped over the counter. He was violent and the policeman fired a shot, although it was not directed at the civilian. He has been reprimanded accordingly,” Hlathi said.
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The most recent complaint was made vocal by Jane Kruger. According to her, she tried to phone the police on the evening of March 16 when two men allegedly threatened her and her family at their house.
“The police did not respond to any of the calls the I made,” Kruger said. She alleged that the same people who threatened her family included a man who assaulted her cousin’s girlfriend in February. “When we wanted to open a case.
The police told us that she does not have enough evidence.” Kruger also alleged that the police receives bribes in the form of meat and alcohol from the two men. Hlathi said they have tried to speak to Kruger regarding these complaints, but that she has not responded to their emails.
“We, however, urge the public to report allegations like this to the police. If they do not feel comfortable with their local police, they can speak to the station commander or, alternatively to the cluster commander or provincial commissioner.
We also have anti-corruption units that this can be reported to,” Hlathi explained. At the end of February, students from the local TVET college protested in front of the police station.
They claimed that police were negligent and racist and did not follow up on a case of rape of a fellow student. According to Hlathi, the investigation of the case is continuing.
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