South Africa Records Average 14 Police Misconduct Cases Daily

Pretoria — South Africa’s Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) registered 5 259 cases of alleged police misconduct, averaging 14 cases daily, during the 2025/2026 financial year, including 332 cases linked to gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).

Tabling IPID’s 2025/2026 Annual Report in the National Assembly, Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said effective policing depended on public legitimacy and trust.

“Policing becomes effective if it is legitimate and trusted by the public,” Minister Cachalia said, stressing IPID’s role in promoting professional police services through impartial investigations.

Assault and torture remained the leading categories, accounting for 3 468 cases.

IPID also recorded 669 cases involving the discharge of official firearms and 464 deaths resulting from police action.

The Western Cape recorded the highest number of cases among provinces with 905, followed by Gauteng with 898, KwaZulu-Natal with 722 and the Eastern Cape with 717.

Of the total cases, 332 involved GBVF.

The report said these included 122 referrals, mainly involving domestic violence, 116 alleged rapes by police officers, 58 assault and torture cases, 24 murders and 10 cases involving the discharge of an official firearm.

KwaZulu-Natal recorded the highest number of GBVF cases at 60, followed by Gauteng with 58 and the Free State with 52.

The Eastern Cape and Northern Cape each recorded 27 cases.

At station level, Kimberley in the Northern Cape and Marianhill in KwaZulu-Natal recorded seven GBVF cases each.

Madadeni in KwaZulu-Natal recorded six, while Phoenix in KwaZulu-Natal, Humewood in the Eastern Cape and Welkom in the Free State each recorded five.

IPID also reported a rise in rape cases allegedly committed by police officers, from 95 in 2024/2025 to 116 in 2025/2026.

Of the 116 cases recorded during the year under review, 44 allegedly involved off-duty police officers, while 72 involved officers who were on duty.

Minister Cachalia said IPID’s investigations were guided by independence, thoroughness, accountability and the quality and integrity of its work.

Minister Firoz Cachalia.

During the year, IPID secured 84 criminal convictions for various offences, up from 43 the previous year, an increase of just under 50%.

Sentences imposed ranged from several months’ imprisonment to life imprisonment, the report said.

Of the 84 convictions, 26 were related to GBVF cases.

IPID investigators are empowered under the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 and the IPID Act 1 of 2011 to execute arrest warrants, the Minister said.

On the criminality side, the directorate recorded 281 arrests for various crimes during the year.

As at March 31, 2026, Minister Cachalia said 994 cases had been enrolled in various courts following IPID recommendations to the National Prosecuting Authority to institute criminal proceedings against police officers accused of transgressions.

The directorate also recorded 277 concluded disciplinary recommendations by the South African Police Service (SAPS).

IPID said SAPS provided reports on the disciplinary processes and sanctions in accordance with Section 30 of the IPID Act, which requires the employer to institute disciplinary proceedings within 30 days of receiving IPID’s recommendations and provide a written progress report to the Police Minister, with a copy to IPID’s Executive Director.

The disciplinary sanctions ranged from written warnings to dismissal from the police service.

Minister Cachalia said IPID’s work remained central to strengthening accountability and professional standards within policing.

“Through impartial investigations,” the Minister said, IPID contributes to efforts to build a professionalised police service and strengthen public confidence in policing.