ICD hampered by Saps members

2010-04-14 22:20

Durban - The covering of tracks and a lack of co-operation was hampering investigations into police officers suspected of wrongdoing, the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) said on Wednesday.

“Investigating suspects who know how to cover up, lack of co-operation from suspects who are implicated in shootings - these are difficulties that the ICD faces,” Moses Dlamini, national ICD spokesperson, told media in Durban.

There had been several cases in which police had shot dead suspects linked to high profile cases, and then argued that they had acted in self defence.

After Inkosi Mbongeleni Zondi, son of the famous iNkosi Bhambatha Zondi, was brutally murdered in Umlazi in January 2009, three of the accused were gunned down by police in separate incidents.

In September last year police shot dead Sifiso Nzimande in Rustenburg in the North West. He was wanted for the murder of Zondi.

Suspect Bongani Mkhize was shot dead by police in Springfield. This was after he had sought a court interdict at the Durban High Court to stop the police from killing him.

Makhosabo Mkhize, the third suspect, was shot dead by police while out on bail.

Bongani and Makhosabo Mkhize were also wanted for allegedly killing Senior Superintendent Zethembe Chonco who was investigating taxi-related crimes. Chonco was killed in August 2008 in Stanger.

Some justified

Dlamini said it was important to point out that the ICD was concerned about the number of deaths due to police action, particularly by shooting.

However, he said not all cases of police shooting were illegal.

“Some are in fact justified in law. In many instances the suspects are armed and they do not hesitate to shoot at police,” said Dlamini.

Acting KwaZulu-Natal head of the ICD Len John said it was difficult to comment on the killing of the Mkhizes and Nzimande because the ICD was still investigating.

“The investigation is ongoing and has reached a sensitive moment… It is almost complete… We have a dedicated team working on the investigation.”

John said an investigation into the killing of 15-year-old Kwazi Ndlovu who was shot dead while sleeping by police in Esikhawini, was almost complete.

Last week it was reported that Ndlovu allegedly tried to shoot the police during a search for a prison escapee.

New legislation

Dlamini said the ICD’s annual report for 2008/09 indicated there were 912 deaths in police custody in South Africa.

“Deaths in police custody are increasing but in many cases police are justified,” Dlamini said.

The ICD was also in the process of developing new legislation to ensure that existing legal gaps were closed.

“It is anticipated that the new legislative framework for the ICD will be tabled in Parliament during the month of May,” said Francois Beukman, executive director of the ICD.

Beukman said the new legislation would grant the ICD an extended mandate focusing on serious and priority crimes committed by police.

- SAPA