Families of slain officers advised to file lawsuit against criminals

Police minister Senzo Mchunu says the department will encourage families of slain police officers to pursue civil claims against perpetrators.

Mchunu spoke to the SABC on the side lines of the SAPS annual Commemoration to honour the 39 women and men in blue who died in the line of duty between April 2023 and March 2024.

According to Mchunu, the department will advise and encourage the families to pursue a lawsuit against criminals after they are convicted and sentenced.

“We will then advise and encourage families to pursue civil claims. Now, I don’t want to entertain that criminal would be poor or what. We will cross that bridge when we get there. But we will seek to find anything that we can get and lay our hands through the family.”

SAPS Annual Commemoration | in conversation with Police Minister Senzo Mchunu

Mchunu further adds that the department is prioritising having a Victim Friendly Room at all police stations.

In a written Parliamentary reply, Mchunu says of the 1066 police stations, 1046 of those stations have dedicated victim-friendly rooms.

Up to 116 of the police stations make use of alternative rooms, while the remaining four, while established physically, are still in the process of being fully operationalised.

He says during the next five financial years, out of the group of 116, 20 police stations per financial year, will be prioritised for the establishment of dedicated victim-friendly rooms.

SAPS Annual Commemoration | Acting President Paul Mashatile’s speech:

Acting President Paul Mashatile has likened the killings of police officers to an attack on the state and equal to treason.

Mashatile made these remarks at the annual South African Police Service Commemoration Day.

He says police officers must take decisive action against criminals according to the legal provisions provided for in the constitution.