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Top police bosses grilled in Parliament

PROVINCIAL police commissioners were roasted by Parliament yesterday over reports that police officers were involved in criminal activities.

PROVINCIAL police commissioners were roasted by Parliament yesterday over reports that police officers were involved in criminal activities.

Parliament's police portfolio committee members quizzed the police heads about claims that their members were using excessive force against service delivery protesters, are involved in crimes such as rape, and are taking too long to respond to 10111 emergency calls.

Committee chairperson Sindisiwe Chikunga said there were complaints in Limpopo that the police colluded with criminals.

In Mpumalanga, 85percent of posts in the 10111 call centre were vacant.

"In Northern Cape your call centre has a vacancy rate of 68percent, in North West there is police rape and in Western Cape police brutality is being reported in many of the police stations," Chikunga said.

Free State provincial commissioner Tshepoebotse Mashigo claimed he was taking a hard line against police rape and police brutality.

"The concerns pertaining to police brutality are true. Just three weeks ago we arrested a director."

But unimpressed IFP MP Velaphi Ndlovu said: "We are talking about rape that happens in the police station - how can that happen?"

Chikunga ordered Mashigo to provide figures showing how many police officers he had suspended.

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