Cops must arrest the real criminals

It is stunning to think that, while crime rates are soaring as fast as criminal conviction rates drop, the South African Police is allegedly wrongfully arresting 11 people every day.

In the past financial year, according to official answers by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to parliamentary questions, 4 135 incidents of wrongful arrest were registered with the police – 11 a day.

Worse, though, the minister revealed that these wrongful arrest cases had resulted in legal suits totalling more than R2.2 billion being brought against the police.

Rise Mzansi’s National Assembly caucus whip Makashule Gana correctly noted that “wrongful arrests erode the trust between the public and the police”.

At the same time, he pointed out the absurdity of the current situation, where there are 8 600 unfilled detective posts in the police, while the amount spent on wrongful arrest claims could go a long way to changing that position.

This blatantly unfair conduct will heighten the perception among the public that there is little chance of justice for victims of crime while, at the same time, criminals will be even more emboldened because they know the chance of getting caught and put behind bars are vanishingly small. That must change.

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