The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) has welcomed the efforts made by the National Traffic Anti-Corruption Unit (NTACU) and South African Police Service (SAPS) in arresting 13 traffic officers in Polokwane within two days for incidents of corruption.
On Friday, an undercover operation in the province managed to arrest 11 traffic officers for allegedly taking bribes from motorists while in a separate incident, another two traffic officials were apprehended on corruption charges.
In yet another incident, the officers allegedly tried to solicit a bribe from members of the Hawks.
The first operation called “Coconut”, nabbed 11 traffic officers who were arrested on Friday for allegedly accepting bribes from bus operators, taxi drivers and motorists on the N1 highway between Polokwane and Musina.
The arrests were the result of an investigation launched in March 2022 into allegations that traffic officers on the N1 highway between Polokwane and Musina had been accepting bribes from road users seeking to avoid fines and other legal consequences.
Reacting to these developments, Popcru president Thulani Ngwenya slammed members of the police who have turned themselves into criminals when they should be the ones stopping crime among members of the community.
Ngwenya, said he was disappointed and strongly condemned the officers’ actions, emphasising that the union was committed to ethical policing.
“Any unlawful conduct by traffic officers heightens the danger to motorists and other road users, and is particularly alarming given the high number of accidents on South Africa’s roads,” he said.
For their swift action in apprehending fellow members of the force, Ngwenya commended members of the NTACU and SAPS.
“As Popcru, we commend the NTACU and SAPS for their thorough work in apprehending these individuals. This marks an important step in the fight against corruption within our traffic management system, sending a clear message to other perpetrators that their days as officers are numbered and their actions will not go unpunished.”
The arrests were part of the broader Operation Coconut, an initiative aimed at exposing and eliminating corruption in law enforcement.
Ngwenya stressed that POPCRU has always made it clear to its members that any involvement in criminal activities will not be tolerated.
“We consistently remind our members that any misconduct will compromise their careers, threaten the reputation of all law enforcement, and risk the lives of the citizens that they have sworn to protect and serve.
“It is disheartening to see law enforcement officers, who are entrusted with upholding the law and safeguarding our communities, being accused of engaging in corrupt practices instead.
“Their actions have betrayed the trust of the public and endangered countless lives on our roads. As a result, the ongoing investigation will be vital in rooting out any other wrongdoers who are guilty of unethical behaviour.”
Ngwenya further called on all law enforcement officers, including traffic officials, to adhere to the highest ethical standards.
“Popcru supports all efforts to eradicate corruption in all its forms, and to restore public confidence in law enforcement. We will continue to work with all relevant authorities to ensure that any offenders are brought to book and that our members uphold the law with integrity,” he said.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation’s anti-corruption unit alleged that the nabbed officers stopped motorists and conducted inspections, but instead of making arrests or issuing fines, they would demand bribes.
The Star