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Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has noted with concern acts of criminal activities that are sweeping across the various provinces, destroying infrastructure and livelihoods amongst others.

These acts of criminalities camouflaged as “protests” have been sporadic and gaining momentum, thus placing a strain on far stretched police workforce. In this regard, the department calls on the members of the community to understand that the IPID investigators are not able to attend crime scenes of cases reported to us as well as reaching the deceased bodies due to the chaos in the areas where protests are taking place. 

IPID has been notified of a case of death reported to be at Shoprite in Inanda, and the investigators could not reach the body as well as the crime scene due to burning tyres and attacks vehicles by protesters. The department also have been notified of another incident where a person died due to loss of blood because the ambulance could not reach the person on time as a results of the protest. IPID found a hand grenade at a First National Bank( FNB) ATM in Inanda and would need to access the area together with the bomb unit of the SAPS.

To the members of the South African Police Services (SAPS), IPID would like to urge you to continue to act and manage the situation within the confines of the law at all material times to avert any potential loss of lives. The department has learned through social media platforms about an alleged incident at Meerensee in Richards bay where a matric learner was allegedly shot by the police.

To this end, IPID is following up in order to establish the authenticity of the information or incident itself. The department calls on the members of the community who may be aware of or know of such an incident to urgently contact our office and register the case. The department will issue a full report on cases received during protests and report on the ones which fall within the IPID mandate.

Issued by GCIS on behalf of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate