Western Cape SAPS management has summarily suspended a Nyanga policeman who was charged over the weekend for the alleged rape of a man who was suspected of shoplifting.

The arrest follows an IPID investigation into allegations that the police Constable had raped the man who was in a police van.

Due to the seriousness of the allegations levelled against the 31-year-old police Constable, an expeditious internal disciplinary process into the fitness of the member to be in the South African Police Service, has been initiated.

Western Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Thembisile Patekile views the allegations levelled against the member in a serious light. “It is incidents like these that adversely impact the relationship between police and communities. That is why it is crucial the investigations undertaken by IPID get to the bottom of this. Police are expected to be protectors of communities”, says Lt Gen Patekile.

Lt Gen Patekile has reiterated the commitment of SAPS management in rooting out ill-discipline among its ranks.

Source: South African Police Service