Deputy Minister of Police Bongani Mkongi told a briefing in Parliament that criminal police officers must be jailed. Photo: Ashraf Hendricks
7 September 2017
Police officers who stole firearms from the state should be wearing the orange uniforms of prisoners, not the blue uniforms of the police, Deputy Police Minister Bongani Mkongi said on Thursday.
In August, 33 firearms were stolen from two police stations in Cape Town, Bellville and Mitchell’s Plain. Mkongi said the thefts were being investigated.
Addressing a press briefing in Parliament, Mkongi said: “These guns are not disappearing, these guns are being stolen. And they are being stolen by some among our own forces.”
Mkongi said officers who were involved in criminal activities were “hugging the hyena, sleeping with the devil”.
Asked what consequences there would be for police officials found guilty of involvement in crime, especially firearm theft, Mkongi said: “There is only one consequence for any police officer that is committing crime. He does not belong to the blue uniform. He or she belongs to the orange uniform.”
“He will be processed and will go to Pollsmoor – that is where he or she belongs.”
Corrupt police officials would not get their pensions, Mkongi said.