NEW Mpumalanga MEC for safety, security and liaison Vusi Shongwe has warned that roadblocks to arrest police officers for misusing state vehicles or driving them without permits would be put up.

Shongwe said he was aware that members of the public rightfully complain that they don' t get assistance from the police with the excuse that there are no vehicles to assist them.

He said the community was aware that the excuse was a result of misuse of police vehicles by officers who are said to use them to run personal errands.

"There is too much corruption within our police ranks and simple roadblocks can assist to remove the rotten tomatoes from the rest," Shongwe said.

"People are raising genuine concerns out there. It is true that some officers are corrupt and misuse police vans."

He said it was time that "each and every police vehicle" seen on the road is stopped and checked to see if its occupants are legal.

He emphasised that they would check whether the vehicle was at the right place of operation.

"We cannot tolerate corrupt officers and they will all be flushed out of the system. We would rather have few good police officers than a huge number of ineffective ones."

Shongwe made a similar threat during the handover ceremony of 79 new vehicles in Middleburg on Friday.