Independent probe into Metro Police

DURBAN’S Metro Police is set to undergo a major transformation. The announcement was made by the council’s executive committee this week who approved the appointment of an independent team comprising of academics and experts in policing matters to compile a report that will assist eThekwini Municipality in addressing transformation issues and organisational development in the Metro Police Unit.

City Manager, Sibusiso Sithole said they aimed to “stabilise, transform and modernise” the Metro Police Unit. He said the Municipality needed to identify the root causes behind some of the challenges and take action to deal with those weaknesses. According to Sithole the report will assist the municipality to maximise its use of existing technology to reduce crime within eThekwini. What’s more he added was the report will improve on the overall management of the Unit as well the collection and processing of traffic fines.

“We are envisioning that this exercise will be done by independent people with knowledge about policing in general, from a practice and academic point of view because of the sheer scale of the work that has to be done,” he said. Sithole added that they would be working with universities.

“But for the intervention to materialise it must not be seen as a witch hunt against individuals. It will not be done as though we are doing a forensic investigation because it is not about that. It is about us going to Metro Police and critically taking stock about what are the strengths and weaknesses,” said Sithole. He added that the exercise would include community involvement by encouraging members of the public to give feedback on how they would like to see the Metro Police changed.

“We have been in contact with a rage of academics to solicit how a work of this nature needs to be done. A report will then be tabled at the relevant committees and Council,” said Sithole.

“The external exercise will help the municipality redefine the role of Metro Police and make it a more efficient force. Ultimately the municipality wants to restore the dignity and public confidence to the Metro Police,” he said.

The announcement of the transformation comes hot on the heels of an alleged incident that occurred last week in which Metro Police officers marched into the May Street Mosque in Greyville with total disregard for the strict Muslim observation of not wearing shoes into the sacred building while they were trying to track down a man who had parked illegally.

Sithole said the city had launched an internal investigation into the allegations. He said they viewed the allegations in a serious light.