The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid)
is investigating 66 cases of rape involving police officers between
April and September this year. The revelation came to light in a
document tabled by the directorate on Wednesday.
According to the document, of those 66 rapes, 25 were allegedly carried out by officers on duty.
Parliament’s police portfolio committee said it was shocked by the amount of cases involving police.
Freedom Front Plus MP Pieter Groenewald, also a member of the committee, said the amount of cases involving police had increased by 25%.
“This means that these rapists think they are above the law just because they are members of the police, and they are abusing their power granted to them due to their positions,” he added.
In a separate statement, committee chairperson Francois Beukman ordered South African Police Service (SAPS) management to “take an uncompromising or strict stance on the matter.”
