CAPE TOWN – Another police officer has been apprehended in the Western Cape, this time at Paarl East Police Station, on allegations of sexually assaulting two detainees within police cells. The arrest, which occurred in March, marks the sixth such case to surface since last November, raising serious concerns about misconduct within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The officer, whose identity has not been released, has been charged with the sexual assault of two individuals who were being held in custody at the Paarl East station. Following his arrest on 27 March 2025, the officer appeared in court and was subsequently granted bail. He is scheduled to return to the dock on 7 May 2025. Details surrounding the alleged incidents have not yet been publicly disclosed.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed the arrest and court appearance, stating: “Be advised that the suspect was arrested on 27 March 2025, and appeared in court where the case was remanded until May 7 2025. He is out on bail.”
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has acknowledged the case, but spokesperson Phaladi Shuping indicated that the investigation is currently being handled by SAPS. “This is a Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit case investigated by SAPS,” Shuping said.
This latest incident follows a string of similar allegations against police officers in the Western Cape. In March, the Cape Argus reported on the case of two officers from Moorreesburg who are accused of kidnapping and raping a woman after offering her a lift on a local farm in February.
According to reports, the victim was walking from her workplace on a farm to her boyfriend's residence on the evening of 8 February when the two officers offered her a ride. Instead, they allegedly drove her to a secluded gravel road where they raped her multiple times and forced her to perform oral sex. After the ordeal, they reportedly dropped her off at her destination and gave her five beers.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila confirmed that the two Moorreesburg officers were released on R2 000 bail each. They face multiple charges, including kidnapping, six counts of rape, and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. IPID spokesperson Shuping also confirmed their arrest.
The growing number of cases involving police officers accused of sexual offences has sparked outrage and concern among community activists and whistleblowers. Bernard Pieters, head of community activation at Cape Forum, emphasised that the police are meant to uphold the law, not break it. He cited a 2023 study that revealed less than 40% of the South African population trusts SAPS, a figure lower than the trust placed in the SABC or SARS.
Whistleblower Zona Morton has described the situation as a "pandemic" within the police force, with an increasing number of officers being accused of rape and sexual assault. She has urged the Provincial Commissioner to take immediate action by providing GBV (Gender-Based Violence) workshops for all police members under his command.
The case of the Moorreesburg officers and the recent arrest in Paarl East are not isolated incidents. In January, Constable Naveron Jacobs, an orderly who worked in the sexual crimes regional court at Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court, allegedly raped a female remandee as she walked back to the holding cells. In November, Constable Siyabonga Mbane, stationed at Mfuleni police station, was arrested, followed by another officer in Malmesbury on Christmas Day.
