Eastern Cape: 7 November 2023: Provincial Commissioner, Lt Gen Nomthetheleli Mene has warned that the SAPS cannot afford to tolerate any unethical behaviour or corrupt members within our ranks and as a leading role player in law enforcement every effort must be done to fight corruption wherever and whenever it manifests, even if it means putting the cuffs on our own.
Two police officers were arrested on Monday, 6 November 2023 and detained in two separate incidents in East London and Gqeberha respectively.
In the first incident, on 6/11, the Provincial Crime Intelligence with the assistance of East London Public Order Policing, conducted an operation relating to drugs and illegal firearms at Buffalo Flats. During the operation, two houses were penetrated and searched. At the first house in Vergenoeg, an unlicensed firearm and a substantial amount of money was found. A 53 year old male was detained on a charge of illegal possession of a firearm. While still busy at the house, a bakkie that stopped nearby was also searched and another unlicensed firearm was found in the vehicle. The second male, aged 32 years old was arrested on a charge of illegal possession of a firearm.
The search at the second house in the Buffalo Flats area resulted in the disappointing arrest of a Warrant Officer, aged 43 years old from Crime Intelligence. Another illegal firearm was found at his house. He, too was detained on a charge of illegal possession of a firearm.
In total, three illegal firearms and the officer’s service pistol as well as a large amount of cash were confiscated. The three suspects, Roland Postman, Nathaniel Postman and W/O Jonathan Van Oordt appeared in the East London magistrate court today, 7/11.
In another unrelated incident, on 6 November, the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation (OCI) – Anti Gang Unit in Gqeberha arrested a police Sergeant from SAPS Kamesh on charges of murder, conspiracy to commit murder and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition. It is alleged that in December 2022, the member with two other suspects shot and killed Raul Damons(31) at his house in Strelitizia Park in Kariega.
Clinton Minnies (41) was arrested in January 2023 while the second suspect, Deilon Makoppa was arrested in September 2023. Sgt Rudy Arends appeared alongside the two accused in the Kariega magistrate court today and his case is remanded to 14 November for a formal bail application.
Lt Gen Mene welcomed the arrests of the police officers and added that behaviour such as this causes reputational damage to the image of the organisation. ‘ We will not hesitate to arrest police officers who taint the SAPS with corrupt actions and those who are tasked with the responsibility to uproot corruption must do so without fear or favour. We have repeatedly reiterated that police officers are not above the law and there is no room for them in an organisation that must serve its citizens with trust, honesty and professionalism,’ added Lt Gen Mene.