Gauteng Legislature committee shocked that 97 cops accused of sexual violence or rape

The Gauteng Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety said its shocked and angered by revelations that at least 97 members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) have been accused of sexual violence or rape.

The figures, contained in the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) 2024/25 annual report, were disclosed on Friday.

The committee emphasised that swift action must follow any proven misconduct and condemned the conduct as a disloyalty of public trust, highlighting that officers are constitutionally mandated to protect communities, especially women and children.

Committee chair Bandile Masuku said none of the police stations approached during oversight visits were fully compliant with the Domestic Violence Act.

“Alarmingly, none of the stations visited achieved full compliance with the Domestic Violence Act. Non-compliance was largely attributed to administrative, infrastructural and operational deficiencies, including misalignment between pocketbooks, occurrence books and registers, incomplete documentation, and recording errors