Madlanga told JMPD officers linked to criminal syndicates

By Johnathan Paoli

Criminal networks are operating inside parts of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), using officers to protect illicit operations, steal cash and drugs and interfere with investigations, the department’s Internal Affairs head told the Madlanga Commission on Tuesday.

Superintendent Elmarie de Beer said the Tactical Response Unit (TRU), Special Patrol Units (SPUs) and, to a lesser extent, the K9 Unit were the units most frequently implicated in cases that had come to Internal Affairs’ attention.

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“Over time, internal affairs has identified a pattern of collusion between certain JMPD officers and criminal elements outside,” De Beer said.

The commission’s terms of reference specifically include whether criminal syndicates have infiltrated or exerted undue influence over the JMPD and other law-enforcement bodies.

De Beer said alleged criminal networks relied on civilians acting as “informers” or spotters who identified