The Provincial Commissioner of the police in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Mondli Zuma is concerned about police officials arrested for being involved in criminal activities. He said police are expected to be the custodians of the law and not the ones breaking it.
The concern by the Provincial Commissioner follows a recent incident which occurred on Saturday night 29 September 2018, wherein a 33 year old police Constable stationed at Balfour reportedly hijacked a vehicle.
Information at police disposal suggest that the Constable, who was on duty and driving a state vehicle, signalled at a motorist to stop and he complied. The policeman then went to the vehicle and ordered the driver together with his wife to alight from it. The suspect then hijacked the couple’s vehicle at gunpoint, leaving the state vehicle behind.
He has been missing since then until last night when he was arrested after having handed himself over to the police. During the arrest, police recovered the victim’s vehicle as well as the state firearm.
The suspect is expected to appear at the Balfour Magistrate’s Court tomorrow, 3 September 2018, facing charges of hijacking, use of state vehicle without consent and theft of firearm.
Two weeks ago, three police officers were arrested during a joint operation led by the Hawks, for their alleged involvement in rhino poaching and trafficking incidents in and around the Kruger National Park. Captain Phineas Lubisi aged 56, former Station Commander of Skukuza who is now working at Calcutta, Constable Thembisile Mhlanga aged 30, stationed at Skukuza and Constable Rachel Qwebane aged 33 have since been in custody pending formal bail application on 08 October 2018, at the White River Magistrate’s Court.
General Zuma continues to remind members that no criminal or corrupt element will be kept within the organisation. He further mentioned that the police would not hesitated to arrest their own if found to be on the wrong side of the law.
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