Jeppe police together with Jeppe Community Policing Forum will be embarking on an anti-corruption campaign in December.
“We saw a need to educate people about corruption in the area,” said Jeppe CPF chairperson, Zola Dambula.
“People need to understand that there are corruptors and those he/she corrupts – it takes two to tango. Corruption does not only involve money. Exchanging favours for personal benefit is also corruption.
“If a resident is giving a police officer money to make his case file disappear or to avoid being arrested, [then they] are part of corruption. People need to know both will be arrested.”
He said the campaign will hopefully encourage people to report corruption. “Some people are reluctant to report cases, fearing that the suspect will bribe the police and not be arrested.
“Also, they feel a person will get arrested today and a week later they will see that person walking in the streets.” He added that people have to understand that seeing suspects out of jail does not necessarily mean the case is over.
“Detectives investigate the cases and someone may be out because more evidence needs to be collected. That should not discourage people from reporting cases. If a resident feels the case is not being handled properly, they have the right to go to the station commander and report the issue, or even go to the CPF office.
“We encourage people to report corruption and also to follow up on cases they have opened. We need to stop corruption and that will only happen if the community works together with the police.”
Read: Corruption has nothing to do with race – Gumede
