‘Drunk’ North West cop dismissed after allegedly crashing state car

A North West police constable was dismissed after he was caught on video when he inspected damage he had allegedly caused to a state vehicle while drunk.

Constable Tsekiso Jonas Tshabalala, who was stationed at Wolmaransstad in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District, was dismissed on Tuesday, police spokesperson Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone confirmed.

“Tshabalala’s dismissal follows an internal disciplinary process, which was instituted against him in terms of SAPS Discipline Regulations soon after he committed a misconduct on Saturday, 28 November 2020,” said Mokgwabone.

The internal disciplinary process was instigated after a video went viral on social media, showing “a fully uniformed and intoxicated Tshabalala struggling to stand on his feet”, while trying to inspect damages to a state motor vehicle caused when he reversed into a fence in Tswelelang Location, Wolmaransstad.

In the video, taken by a community member in Tswelelang, the constable appears confused after reversing into the fence. A man then pulls him out of the police vehicle, but he stumbles to the ground. The police officer’s speech sounds slurred.

Preliminary investigations revealed the police officer was not authorised to drive a state vehicle.

Tshabalala was subsequently arrested and released on R500 bail.

He is still facing charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and use of a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent. He is due to appear in court on Friday, 19 March.

North West provincial police commissioner Lieutenant-General Sello Kwena has welcomed the dismissal. At the time of the incident, Kwena described the former member’s conduct as unprofessional and unbecoming.

He added the action taken against the officer will “certainly send a clear message that the service will not tolerate members who fail to adhere to the code of conduct”.

News24

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