Civilian Secretariat Raises Alarm Over Rising Police Misconduct Claims
Civilian police oversight officials have warned that rising civil claims, including allegations involving torture and deaths in custody, point to continuing concerns about police conduct.
The Civilian Secretariat for Police Service (CSPS) has raised concerns over a sharp increase in civil claims against the police, with cases rising from just over 10,000 in 2021 to more than 15,000 during the 2023/2024 financial year.
The figures were presented to Parliament as the CSPS and other entities in the police portfolio reported on their annual performance.
The secretariat said the increase in claims over the past five years continued to raise questions about police conduct. Civil claims can arise from alleged misconduct and other actions for which the state may face legal liability.
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Richard Mashilwane, the CSPS director of strategic management, also highlighted findings and recommendations from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), the police watchdog.
“In total, I think there were 138 that were reported for the period under review. They were in the areas of assault, torture, discharge of an official firearm, and issues around death as a result of police action,” Mashilwane said.
CSPS Calls For Greater Focus On Police Conduct
Mashilwane said the rising number of civil claims required greater attention to professional conduct within the police service.
“The numbers are getting higher, and more work needs to be done around civil claims and issues around police conduct,” he added.
The CSPS functions as a technical adviser to the Minister of Police and is responsible for civilian oversight of police governance and service delivery.
The concerns raised by the secretariat come as Parliament considers annual reports and performance across institutions within the police portfolio.
Commission And Inquiry Recommendations
Mashilwane said recommendations arising from the Madlanga Commission and the Ad Hoc Committee inquiry should be incorporated into future police reforms.
He did not provide further detail in the supplied material on which specific recommendations should be prioritised.
The CSPS's comments place the increase in civil claims alongside broader concerns about police conduct, including cases identified by IPID involving allegations of assault, torture, the discharge of official firearms and deaths resulting from police action.
