Sex charges against SA cop
2005-03-29 08:00
Erika Gibson
Pretoria - Claims of sexual harassment and a lack of discipline have surfaced in Sudan, less than two months after South African police officers were deployed as international peacekeepers.
A complaint of sexual harassment was lodged against a senior member of the South African Police Service, which is serving under the auspices of the African Union's (AU) civilian police force (Civpol).
At least three written complaints about command and disciplinary problems have been lodged against the officer by Senegalese and Gambian members of the same AU police force.
The sexual harassment incident allegedly took place in February in the tent of a senior female South African police member when the male officer tried to fondle and kiss her during the early morning hours.
The female officer apparently reported the incident the following morning to assistant-commissioner of Civpol, James Oppong of Ghana.
The incident took place in the housing tents at the police officers' head office unit in El Fashir in Darfur.
The female officer later served a written complaint. This document, along with other written complaints, was handed over to a high-level visiting delegation under the leadership of assistant commissioner Andre Pruis about two weeks ago.
It is believed the other complaints refer the senior officer's handling of police officers' daily duties.
Dissatisfaction over the lack of steps taken against the offending officer has apparently had a negative effect on the police officers and the rest of the South African contingent at El Fasher. Details of the complaints are an open secret among the South Africans there.
National police spokesperson director Sally de Beer would not however comment on the allegations on Monday.
According to De Beer, Pruis took a second group (of 12) police officers to Darfur two weeks ago. While there, he held talks with South Africans based there as well as with police officers from other countries.
Caused by circumstances
"A number of issues were brought to his attention, including a lack of accommodation, transport and command and disciplinary problems.
"This is a difficult deployment and it is clear that the problems were caused by the circumstances. Assistant Commissioner Pruis is currently reviewing the problems before addressing it - as far as police are able to deal with them."
Almost 100 South African police officers, including three women, will eventually form part of the AU force in Darfur. They are under the command of director Anand Pillay, chief of the police's operational reaction unit in the Western Cape.
About 20 South Africans are already in Darfur where they are establishing the unit's headquarters in El Fashir and at Nyala.
More than 300 South African soldiers form part of the AU force of about 3 300 soldiers and include soldiers from Nigeria, Rwanda, Gambia, Senegal and Kenya.
- Beeld