Death in Police Custody

Index | Background | Relevant Circulars | Instruction | Definitions | Reporting Procedure

Background

The South African Police Service is responsible for the safety and security of all persons in the national territory of the Republic of South Africa. Therefore, each and every death in police custody or death as a result of police action by the SAPS is a matter of concern to the SAPS.

It should be borne in mind that the general public consider even incidents of suicide or death from natural causes in custody to be unacceptable. These figures also affect the total for deaths in custody, thereby creating a negative image of the SAPS.

Some of these deaths have been found to have occurred as a result of negligence and wrongful action by members of the Service. This kind of conduct is unacceptable and it is the responsibility of each and every member of the SAPS to do his/her utmost to prevent these type of incidents.

The Division: Crime Prevention (National Head Office) is responsible for the maintenance of a database of all deaths in police custody and deaths as a result of police action. In order to enable this office to keep a reliable database up to date and to conduct valid research, it is of utmost importance that all incidents be reported as soon as possible.

Agtergrond

Die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens is verantwoordelik vir die veiligheid en sekuriteit van alle persone in die nasionale grondgebied van die Republiek van Suid-Afrika. Elke insident van dood in polisie-aanhouding en dood as gevolg van polisie- optrede is daarom ‘n bron van kommer vir die SAPD.

Daar moet in gedagte gehou word dat selfs insidente van selfmoord of sterftes weens natuurlike oorsake in aanhouding vir die algemene publiek onaanvaarbaar is. Dit beïnvloed ook die totaal vir sterftes in aanhouding en skep sodoende ‘n negatiewe beeld van die SAPD.

Daar is gevind dat sommige van hierdie sterftes te wyte is aan nalatigheid en onregmatige optrede deur lede van die Diens. Hierdie soort gedrag en optrede is onaanvaarbaar en dit is die verantwoordelikheid en plig van elke lid van die SAPD om sy/haar bes te doen on hierdie soort van insidente te voorkom.

Die Afdeling: Misdaadvoorkoming (Nasionale Hoofkantoor) is verantwoordelik om ‘n databasis van alle sterftes in polisie-aanhouding en sterftes as gevolg van SAPD optrede by te hou. Om hierdie kantoor in staat te stel om ‘n betroubare databasis by te hou en geldige navorsing te doen, is dit gebiedend noodsaaklik dat alle gevalle so spoedig moontlik gerapporteer word.

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