A 53 year old police officer from the Western Cape has been arrested for allegedly raping a 23 year old woman in the Langebaan police station on Monday. The woman was arrested for possession of tik and Mandrax on Friday.

Spokesperson for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) Moses Dlamini said, "[He] took the victim out of the cells to his office. The suspect then allegedly forced the victim to perform oral sex on him,"

According to Dlamini, One of the police officers colleagues interrupted him and the woman was taken back to the cells. The officer returned to the cell where he allegedly raped her. He allegedly raped her again on Sunday.

The incident was reported to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) on Thursday 22nd November and the officer was arrested on Monday 26th November. He would appear in the Langebaan Magistrate's Court today.

Recently Radio Islam reported on the alleged brutal assault of Shireen Sheik and Naazneen Kader in Robertsham by two Booysens police officers. This followed an incident two days prior of alleged police brutality against Ikraam Seedat in Lenasia.

 

At the SA Police Union (Sapu) central executive committee meeting in Pretoria on the 16th November, National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega warned “The country is experiencing very challenging circumstances in policing. Phiyega said, “Police hands are full… our hands are full. We have our purpose to continue to ensure that South Africans feel they are safe.”

The men and women in blue are meant to serve and protect and South Africans need to feel safe when dealing with the police. However with the recent spate of alleged police brutality, Riah Phiyega’s comments are marred by irony.