KEY POINTS
-
A SAPS captain has been arrested and charged with raping a 20-year-old trainee after allegedly threatening to file a misconduct charge unless she complied with his demands.
-
The officer is in custody and will appear in court on May 14 for a bail hearing; Ipid is leading the investigation.
-
The case follows another rape conviction of a former SAPS sergeant, highlighting ongoing concerns over sexual abuse within the police service.
A senior officer in the South African Police Service (SAPS) is facing serious charges after allegedly raping a 20-year-old trainee at the Police Academy in Pretoria.
The accused, a police captain whose name has not been released pending further court proceedings, was arrested on Wednesday, May 7, by members of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid). He is expected to appear in court on Wednesday, May 14, for a formal bail hearing.
According to Ipid spokesperson Lizzy Suping, the incident took place on Tuesday, May 7, while the trainee was walking to her sleeping quarters with her platoon.
According to IOL, she was summoned by the police captain to his office under the pretext of discussing a disciplinary matter.
“Once in the office, the police captain allegedly locked the door and told the trainee that if she did not sleep with him, he would write a misconduct letter regarding an incident in April where he accused her of failing to salute him,” Suping stated.
The disturbing allegation has sent shockwaves through the law enforcement community and drawn public outrage. Gender-based violence within the ranks of state institutions has long been a concern in South Africa, where cases of abuse of power and sexual exploitation continue to emerge, especially against young women in subordinate positions.
Separate rape conviction highlights pattern of abuse in SAPS
In a separate case this week, former police sergeant Thembalethu Gqeku, 50, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the rape of a 17-year-old girl. The incident occurred inside a detectives’ office at the Kei Mouth Police Station in the Eastern Cape on August 8, 2022. The sentencing was welcomed by gender justice activists but also reignited calls for deeper institutional reforms and stronger accountability mechanisms within SAPS.
These cases highlight a disturbing pattern of sexual misconduct among officers in positions of authority and emphasize the urgent need for structural safeguards and victim support systems in training academies and police departments across the country.
While the captain accused in the latest case remains in custody, Ipid has confirmed that investigations are ongoing. The Directorate has urged the public to allow the legal process to take its course, while affirming its commitment to ensuring justice and transparency.
