LIMPOPO South African Police Service (SAPS) Commissioner Lieutenant General Jan Scheepers has issued a stern warning to police officers allegedly working with criminal syndicates around Beitbridge, saying those caught will face arrest and prosecution.
Scheepers, who recently took over as provincial police commissioner, said corruption within the police service was undermining efforts to combat crime and eroding public confidence in law enforcement.
Addressing a law enforcement gathering near the border post this week, Scheepers said his administration would take a tough stance against officers found collaborating with criminals.
“I am the new sheriff in town and I will make sure that no police officer is connected to criminals during my tenure,” Scheepers said, according to The Mirror.
“Look how beautiful you are in your blue uniform. If you work with criminals, it will take me just a few minutes to exchange your blue uniform into an orange one.”
Scheepers said police had received information suggesting that some officers were allegedly leaking intelligence to suspects after members of the public reported criminal activities.
“We already have information that when community members report crime to police, corrupt officers make sure that the criminals evade arrest,” he said.
“We are coming for you. It is just a matter of time before we arrest you.”
The commissioner said protecting information supplied by communities was critical to successful police operations, particularly in areas battling organised and cross-border crime.
“The information from the community should be handled with confidentiality because it helps us to crack down on criminals,” Scheepers said.
“If police officers are the ones who disclose the information to criminals, it means we have a serious problem because the public will no longer have trust in us.”
He said rebuilding public confidence was essential because police relied heavily on information from communities to identify suspects and disrupt criminal networks.
“We must work hard to gain public trust because that would result in safer communities for all of us,” he said.
Scheepers warned officers involved in corruption or other criminal activities to stop before they were caught, promising decisive action against offenders.
“Better leave it now, because if we find you, we will set an example with you,” he said.
“We can deal with corrupt members who contribute towards the increase of crime in our society.”
His warning comes as authorities continue efforts to combat smuggling, illegal migration and other forms of cross-border crime around the Beitbridge border area, a major gateway connecting Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Scheepers’ remarks signal that the crackdown will also focus inward, with police officers suspected of facilitating criminal activity facing investigation alongside the syndicates they are accused of assisting.
The commissioner said officers were expected to uphold the law and protect information entrusted to them by members of the public, warning that those who instead assist criminals risk exchanging their police uniforms for prison clothes.
