Question NW2555 to the Minister of Police
11 August 2015 - NW2555
Shivambu, Mr F to ask the Minister of Police
(1)Whether, in view of the allegations that a certain company (name furnished) enjoys police protection and that the Tactical Response Team of the SA Police Service (SAPS) has been specially assigned as the specified company’s private security guards for the distribution of its product for the past two years, he can provide detailed information on the reasons why the specified company is allegedly receiving special treatment and police protection which is not received by other competitors in the market; (2) why does the SAPS allegedly protect the specified company that is alleged to be involved in tax evasion and illicit financial flows which has a negative impact on the country’s tax base; (3) what is his policy position on the alleged protection of the specified company by the SAPS Tactical Response Team being equivalent to the privatisation of this SAPS unit as it was during the apartheid era when the former SA Police was also used for purposes other than the protection of its citizens; (4) whether he has instituted an investigation into these allegations; if so, (a) who was found to be responsible and (b) what steps did he take to deal with the perpetrators?
Reply:
- The SAPS has not specifically assigned the Tactical Response Team as the specified Company’s private security guards for the distribution of its product for the past two years.
The SAPS has different Task Teams comprising different SAPS Units to deal with specific crime threats and patterns, including the robbery of trucks. The operations of these Task Teams are guided by the available intelligence, modus operandi and crime patterns.
2. The SAPS protects all people of South Africa and execute its Constitutional mandate without fear or favour.
(3) The SAPS does not have a policy position for a specified company. The SAPS does its work in accordance with Section 205(3) of the Constitution which is applicable to all people of South Africa.
(4) No investigation was instituted against any member of the SAPS.
(a) Not applicable.
(b) Not applicable.