Corruption is a crime that robs people of resources that should have been used to improve the lives of the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. It is also one of the greatest impediments to the country’s growth and development.
The publication focused on police corruption, which is when police officers are involved in large-scale bribes, firearm trafficking, and other crimes which can lead to the demise of public trust in the police and other governing regimes.
Parkview’s Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairperson Geraldine Connell weighed in, “if community members are concerned about the corruption of South African Police Service (SAPS) members, they are entitled to take the matter up with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).”
The steps that need to be followed are outlined below:
- Gather Evidence. It is necessary to submit all the details of the complaint, including the date, time, location, and the names or badge numbers of the officers involved. Physical evidence is also critical to enable IPID to establish who was involved. Examples include photos, videos, audio recordings, or documents.
- Prepare a statement. Complainants must prepare a clear and concise statement outlining the events, communications, and their suspicions of corruption. All relevant details and evidence should be included. If there were witnesses to the corruption, their names and contact details should also be included in the statement.
- Contact IPID. There are several ways to contact IPID: – Visit the IPID Office: Complaints can be filed in person at the nearest IPID office. In Gauteng, this is on the 8th Floor of Bram Fischer Towers, 20 Albert Street, Marshalltown. – Call IPID: It is possible to call IPID’s national office on 012 399 0000, or the provincial office on 011 220 1500. – Email IPID: Complaints and evidence can be emailed to IPID using Complaints@ipid.gov.za. Complainants must fill in the Complaint Reporting Form (Form 2) available on the IPID website.
- Submit the Complaint. The submission of a complaint should contain all the details of the incident, any evidence gathered, the statement from the complainant, and the Complaint Reporting Form. The complainant’s contact information should also be included so that IPID can follow up with them regarding the investigation.
- Follow up. Upon submission of the complaint, a reference number should be requested. This will help to track the progress of the case. Regular follow-up with IPID is advised to inquire about the status of the complaint and provide any additional information they may request. Community members should also consider seeking legal advice to ensure that they are fully aware of their rights and the procedures involved in filing a complaint against SAPS through IPID.
By following these steps, residents can effectively report suspected corruption by SAPS officers to IPID, ensuring that their complaint is handled appropriately and investigated thoroughly.
The Special Investigative Unit (SIU) was set up to investigate allegations of corruption and maladministration in the affairs of government departments, municipalities, and state-owned entities.
When approaching the SIU about allegations make sure:
- Explain what the allegations are (tender fraud, collusions, fronting, etc)
- How did it happen?
- When and where did it happen?
- Who was involved/who is implicated?
- Who did what?
- How much money was involved?
- What is the result of what happened? (loss suffered by state institution, irregular expenditure, failure of a project, etc)
Supporting documents
- Tender Committee,
- Reports/submissions,
- Appointment letter (if available),
- Investigation or audit reports,
- Correspondence (letters, WhatsApps, emails, etc), and
- Payment information.
The public is encouraged to report all criminality using the available platforms such as the SAPS Crime Stop and all government anti-corruption hotlines. The law enforcement agencies rely on the credible information provided by members of the public in order to institute investigations.
If you believe you have credible information which is linked to any fraud or corruption, you can pass this information to these agencies through their hotlines and emails:
- South African Anti-corruption hotline: 0800 43 43 73
- SIU Whistle-blower Hotline: 0800 037 774. Email: siu@whistleblowing.co.za
- Public Protector hotline: 0800 11 20 40. Email: registration2@pprotect.org
- Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks): 012 846 4590. E-mail: CorruptionReports@saps.gov.za
- IPID. National: 012 399 0000, Provincial: 011 220 1500. Email: complaints@ipid.gov.za
- Anti-Corruption Hotline: 0800 701 701. Email: Integrity@publicservicecorruptionhotline.org.za
- Counter Corruption Unit (Home Affairs):012 406 4318
- Fraud hotline (Human Settlements): 0800 204 401
- Phishing scams (National Treasury): 012 406 9222. Email: csd@treasury.gov.za
- Fraud and anti-corruption hotline (SARS): 0800 00 28 70
- Grant and fraud hotline (SASSA): 0800 60 1011
- Crime Stop: 08600 10111
- Gauteng Ethics Hotline: 080 1111 633. E-mail: gpethics@thehotline.co.za
- Corruption Watch 0800 023456.
Related articles: Corruption, cadre deployment and self enrichment at the root of load-shedding says DA
Parkview police officer allegedly shoots girlfriend multiple times and kills himself
Bramley Police Station records a decrease in fourth-quarter crime statistics
Follow us on our Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok pages. Join our WhatsApp group for any story ideas you may have.
