Police backtrack, claim CPF didn’t lay complaints against task team
"It is not the CPF," - station commander Brig Johannes Manyathela.
Brakpan police have reneged on their statement that the CPF laid complaints against the Brakpan Anti-Hijacking Task Team.
The task team was disbanded on Thursday, May 26, causing a major upset in the community.
It was alleged that members of the Brakpan Community Policing Forum laid complaints against the team, which resulted in the disbanding.
While police initially confirmed, in writing, that complaints had been made by the CPF, station management are now backtracking.
Read: Police comment on allegations surrounding task team’s disbanding
A statement sent to the Herald yesterday (June 8), from Brakpan Police Station commander Brig Johannes Manyathela, reads:
“This office would like to mention that it was never said “…the CPF complained of the Task Team.”
“To the question posed by the editor as to who complained, this office meant that “yes, there is complaints lodged against the “Task Team” and this phrase or sentence was not confirming that the CPF has complained against the Task Team.
“In respect of who complained, this office was meaning that it cannot be identified whether it is the CPF or not, for the safety of the individuals.
“I still maintain that we cannot disclose who reported and it is not the CPF (sic).”
• For the record
The question posed by the Herald to station management was:
Can you confirm whether any complaints were made against the task team members by members of the CPF?
The following response was received:
”Yes, there is a complaint lodged to the SAPS against the members. The identity of the complainants cannot be disclosed for the safety of the individuals (complainants).”
Also read: WATCH: Community demands answers from SAPS about task team’s disbanding
Brakpan Anti-Hijacking Task Team disbanded
