Penwell Dlamini

Penwell Dlamini

A Diepkloof policeman has not returned to work despite being acquitted of rape in the Lenasia magistrate's court.

Isaac Mafunzwane, pictured, of Protea Glen, was last week acquitted on a charge of kidnapping and two counts of rape.

On March 31 Mafunzwane released a 34-year-old woman on warning to appear in the Orlando magistrate's court on assault charges.

Instead of dropping her at her home in Diepkloof he drove her to his house and allegedly had sex with her.

Mafunzwane was arrested the following day after the woman reported she had been raped.

Magistrate Andre Reddy said her evidence was unsatisfactory because she did not fight, cry for help or show any resistance during Mafunzwane's sexual advances that night.

But on May 5 Mafunzwane was fired from his job after an internal disciplinary hearing.

"The outcome of the court does not influence the decision that had already been taken by the disciplinary hearing, so Mafunzwane's firing remains," said police spokesman Inspector Kay Makhubela.

He said that a disciplinary hearing found that Mafunzwane's conduct as a police officer was unacceptable.

Mafunzwane had been in the police force for 17 years and was a police inspector at the time of his dismissal.

But the South African Police Union is unhappy with the decision. The union has appealed against Mafunzwane's dismissal on June 20.

If that fails the case will be taken to the safety and security sectorial bargaining council for arbitration.