A Force Under Scrutiny: WC Top Cop Vows Action on Gang Infiltration Report

The cloud of suspicion hanging over the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the Western Cape has finally prompted a direct response from its top officer. Provincial Commissioner Thembisile Patekile has pledged to engage with police watchdogs, following the release of a long-suppressed report detailing alleged gang infiltration within the force.

The report, compiled by the Western Cape Police Ombudsman, was only made public last week by Premier Alan Winde, despite landing on his desk over three years ago. Its publication comes amid intense scrutiny from the national Madlanga Commission and an Ad Hoc Committee, both probing corruption within the country’s criminal justice system.

A Damning Finding from the Past

The Ombudsman’s investigation reached a troubling conclusion: a complaint of “unacceptable behaviour” against the previous provincial commissioner and his senior management team was “substantiated on a balance of probabilities.” The report warned that the alleged infiltration posed a risk to the entire criminal justice system, potentially compromising investigations and endangering witnesses.

Premier Winde faced a critical choice upon originally receiving the report: he could have demanded the commissioner’s removal or awaited the outcome of internal investigations. He opted for the latter, noting that the allegations pertained to the tenure of Patekile’s predecessor, Lieutenant-General Khombinkosi Jula.

The Current Commissioner’s Pledge

In his first public response to the report’s release, Commissioner Patekile sought to project a stance of full cooperation. He emphasized that he had extended “full and unconditional cooperation” to the Ombudsman during the initial investigation and that the matter had been escalated for a “national-level review.”

“With the tabled report and renewed public attention,” Patekile stated, “SAPS re-commits to working with all oversight and investigative bodies to ensure that any possible wrongdoing is examined, accountability is upheld, and the integrity of policing in the Western Cape is protected.”

He acknowledged that public trust is “central to a safe and just society,” and vowed the service remains “resolute in the fight against organised crime, gangsterism and corruption.”

Unanswered Questions Linger

The case is shrouded in historical complexity. General Jula, who was removed from his post just two years into his term, was previously accused of fostering internal divisions by setting up a rival unit to the Anti-Gang Unit. He did not respond to questions about the gang infiltration allegations.

The national police headquarters also remained silent on the current status of any internal investigation.

For the people of the Western Cape, the promise of accountability is a familiar refrain. Commissioner Patekile’s commitment to work with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) and the Ombudsman is a necessary first step. But in a province weary of gang violence, the public will be watching for concrete actions, not just assurances, to purge the police service of criminal influence and restore true integrity to the badge.

{Source: IOL}

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