Tshwane Popcru members protest against sexual assault incidents

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2 minutes

Members of the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) have protested outside the Hammanskraal SAPS Academy, north of Pretoria, against sexual assault incidents that they say are occurring at the Tshwane SAPS Academy.

Popcru says the incidents were reported last month.

A captain allegedly raped a trainee and another victim came forward with similar allegations.

This is the second picket, and another one is planned for Moloto in Mpumalanga.

Popcru Provincial Chairperson, Josiah Lusenga, says he hopes that all investigations will be conducted speedily.

“We want the South African Police Service to speedily conduct an independent investigation on the happenings in all the academies in the country because this case of a captain that has started on the 23^rd of May, we were in court and also on the 29^th of May, we were in court. It was then postponed to the 9^th of June. We will be there as we want to support the victim and the family, but to also raise a strong alarm of a warning to the South African Police Services so that they make sure that this investigation is independent.”

Lusenga says the Independent Police Investigative Directorate has confirmed similar cases across the country.

“We have been informed by the IPID that people are starting to report incidents that have happened in the past. Therefore, the South African Police Services must make sure that all these academies are safe and students are safe as they came here for employment – these are the future police officers. So, the captain and some of the trainers are given and trusted with the responsibility to produce, train and develop future police men and women.”