Eastern Cape MEC for Community Safety, Xolile Nqatha, has confirmed that 12 police officers with criminal convictions are currently serving in the South African Police Service in the province, and 217 cases involving police officers are under investigation. (Photo: Leila Dougan)
In a written reply to the Eastern Cape Legislature, MEC for Community Safety Xolile Nqatha released statistics showing that police corruption cases in the province went from four cases in the 2021/2022 financial year to 21 cases in 2024/2025.
Six police officers — including two captains, three constables and a warrant officer — were redeployed by SAPS Eastern Cape after being found guilty of corruption in disciplinary hearings, Nqatha said.
The harshest punishment for those not dismissed was a warning or suspension without pay.
One of the reinstated officers received a final warning, while five returned to work after serving suspensions without pay.
Nqatha was answering a question from Yusuf Cassim, Democratic Alliance spokesperson on safety and security in the province.
According to these statistics, in the 2021/2022 financial year, four police officers in the province were charged with corruption, and four were dismissed. In 2022/2023, 14 were charged and eight dismissed. The following year, 15 were charged and 11 dismissed.
In the 2024/2025 financial year, of the 21 disciplinary hearings for corruption, only 10 have been finalised. Of these 10 cases, however, only two resulted in dismissals and two in suspension without pay. Six officers were found not guilty and two were found guilty.
Nqatha said that not one of the officers had been criminally charged, despite cases being opened.
Nqatha indicated that most of the police officers found guilty were dismissed, but added that six had been taken back into the fold – two of these officers held the rank of captain, three were constables and one was a warrant officer.
‘Jaw-dropping figures’
Cassim said he was shocked at the figures.
“Shocking new figures reveal that 21 Eastern Cape SAPS members were charged with corruption in the previous financial year. This is more than five times the number charged just three years ago,” he said. “Behind every statistic is a community left more vulnerable, and a resident left wondering whether they can still trust the very officers sworn to protect them. Officers who abuse their positions for personal gain compromise investigations and destroy lives.”
“We demand a full-scale, independent investigation into systemic corruption within SAPS, and the immediate suspension of any officer facing criminal charges until their cases are resolved,” he said.
“Despite the public’s justified outrage, SAPS leadership continues to rely on vague assurances and ineffective interventions,” Cassim said.
He has undertaken to write to the community safety committee chair, Tumeka Gaya, requesting that the SAPS provincial commissioner appear before the legislature to account for the failures to uphold accountability within the ranks.
Before being placed on special leave in June, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu said in Parliament that only one Eastern Cape police official had been dismissed after being convicted of corruption in the past five years.
During a recent oversight visit to the Eastern Cape by the members of the parliamentary safety and security committee, MPs heard several disturbing accounts of police officers being involved in alleged corrupt activities.
“A critical concern arising from the Eastern Cape visit is the deep trust deficit between the SAPS, victims of extortion and broader stakeholders. Stakeholders expressed significant scepticism about the commitment of the police to fighting crime, with some citing instances of alleged police involvement in extortion networks. This lack of trust severely undermined SAPS’s ability to effectively investigate and resolve extortion cases, committee chair Ian Cameron emphasised. He said the absence of public trust in law enforcement institutions was a substantial barrier to the successful resolution of extortion cases and broader crime-fighting efforts.
The revelations came as the Madlanga commission into police corruption was due to start its work this month.
Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga will chair the commission and will be assisted by advocates Sesi Baloyi SC and Sandile Khumalo.
The commission was established after KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged that the country’s law enforcement and intelligence structures had been infiltrated by a criminal syndicate.
Mkhwanazi further alleged that Mchunu allegedly interfered with sensitive police investigations and colluded with business people, including a murder accused, to disband the Political Killings Task Team. DM