Police misconduct in South Africa is rising, with increasing cases of torture, assault, and unlawful killings. Experts call for urgent reforms.
Multiple reports of police misconduct in South Africa, including torture, assault, unlawful killings, and rape. These have raised concerns about a growing crisis in law enforcement. The 2023/2024 Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) Annual Performance Report recorded 5,136 cases of police-related incidents. Having KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Gauteng (GP) among the most affected provinces.
The data revealed a 20 percent increase in reports of torture, with 273 cases recorded, including 53 in KZN. Assault cases totaled 3,176 nationwide, while 621 cases involved the discharge of an official firearm. With 169 reported in Gauteng, 80 in the Western Cape, and 78 in KZN.
In response, the Democratic Alliance (DA) called for a parliamentary probe into police misconduct in South Africa. Lisa Schickerling, DA’s deputy spokesperson on police, described the findings as appalling, stating they highlight widespread misconduct within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
“The report paints a grim picture of law enforcement officers violating the very laws they are meant to uphold,” she said. “We will immediately launch a probe into IPID to determine how these abuses occurred, what actions officials took, and whether implicated officers face criminal charges.”
Lack of accountability and systemic issues
Experts warn that actual cases of police misconduct may be far higher than reported. Gareth Newham, head of the Justice and Violence Prevention Programme at the Institute for Security Studies, said many victims fear retaliation and lack confidence in oversight mechanisms.
“IPID closes about 95 percent of reported cases without taking action.” This allows corrupt officers to remain in SAPS and even rise through the ranks,” he said.
Newham called for stronger internal accountability and an overhaul of SAPS recruitment and disciplinary processes to remove unfit officers.
Human rights concerns and urgent reforms
Shenilla Mohamed, executive director of Amnesty International South Africa, said that authorities must hold SAPS officers accountable for misconduct.
“There must be serious consequences for crimes like excessive force, unlawful killings, and torture,” she said.
Veteran police monitor Mary de Haas criticized IPID’s failure to act, calling for urgent reforms to police training, recruitment, and oversight to restore public trust.
