Two Tshwane metro police officer fired for extortion. Picture: Jacques Naude / Independent Newspapers
The city of Tshwane has booted out two metro police officers after they were found guilty of serious misconduct, including extortion.
MMC for Community Safety, Grandi Theunissen said an additional five metro police officials have also been issued with written warnings.
He said some of the officials were suspects in criminal cases that would be heard in court soon.
Last year six Tshwane metro police were accused of extorting money from an employee of the Motor Industry Staff Association, who was allegedly driving under alcohol influence on Atterbury-offramp of the N1 highway.
While the driver confessed to having had one glass of wine, the metro police couldn’t use a breathalyser to ascertain his state of sobriety because they didn’t have one.
The driver was forced to go to the nearest ATM to draw money and he subsequently opened a case against the officers at the Lyttelton police station.
In a separate incident last year, two Tshwane metro police were arrested for operating in Diepsloot, which is the area outside their jurisdiction.
Regarding the dismissal of the two metro police officers, Theunissen said their disciplinary proceedings started in February and August 2023, respectively.
“While it may look concerning that it took the city nearly a year in one case and six months in the other to get to this point, it is important to note that the illegal strike action placed an additional burden on Group Human Capital Management, which was key to the proceedings,” he said.
He said the city was duty-bound to use every avenue to ensure that officials breaking the law face the necessary consequences.
Theunissen said he instructed Tshwane Metro Police Department (TMPD) chief Yolanda Faro to bring back discipline and re-establish strong command and control.
He said victims of crime at the hands of TMPD officials can open a criminal case at their nearest police station, report the matter to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate at [email protected] and report it to the TMPD Integrity Unit on 083 657 2998.
The Pretoria News reported last year that TMPD was accused of employing more than 200 officers with criminal records during the first phase of insourcing of security guards in 2020.
Some metro officers were implicated in crimes ranging from bribery to extortion, assault and armed robbery. At least 49 of them were in hot water because of serious charges emanating from previous criminal convictions.
Pretoria News