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Durban – KwaZulu-Natal MPLs have called for an investigation into the alleged abuses by police officers from a number of stations in Durban who, they say, act like bullies and have no passion for their work.
In a special debate in the provincial legislature in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday,
African Christian Democratic Party MPL Joanne Downs said she had worked with police at stations south of Durban and had found that some police officers were “uncaring and abusive” towards the public.
“It is no secret that there is a problem in KwaMakhutha, Folweni, eManzimtoti and uMlazi police stations. I work in the area with sexual abuse victims, and we have many complaints about those police stations,” she said.
Her call for an investigation was prompted by an incident during which eight on-duty police officers, driving five blue light vehicles with sirens blaring, were reported to have stormed a vehicle workshop in eManzimtoti.
They allegedly removed a vehicle, which had been at the workshop for repair work, without paying for the work done on it.
On Wednesday, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Willies Mchunu promised MPLs that his department would take action against errant officers.
Mchunu said some members of the Tactical Response Team were filmed by CCTV cameras towing away a vehicle belonging to a Warrant Officer SL Boya of eManzimtoti police station.
It is alleged that the owner of Barry’s Auto Clinic workshop charged the policeman R25 000 to repair his vehicle. The vehicle owner paid R8 000 and the vehicle was being kept at the workshop while he raised the money he owed, including the storage fees.
The Mercury
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