Mpumalanga Safety and Security MEC Siphosezwe Masango, has welcomed the arrest of two policemen involved in fraud, saying they were unwanted "rotten potatoes" in the South African Police Service.
A KwaMhlanga policeman, Inspector Matthews Mkhwebane attached to the Vehicle Identification Section was arrested on Wednesday for fraudulently releasing an impounded stolen white Nissan 1400 to his friend who had lost a similar vehicle.
An impounded vehicle had been stolen from Silverton in Pretoria, however sold to a woman at Springs but later impounded by the police at KwaMhlanga since it was not registered under her name.
Mkhwebane allegedly told his friend that there was an impounded vehicle similar to his, which had no owner and that he could release it to him.
His friend who had lost a purple Nissan 1400 agreed and the vehicle was released to his friend's wife. The woman whose vehicle had been impounded by the police noticed the car on the street and informed the police.
It was after an investigation that Mkhwebane was arrested for fraudulently releasing the vehicle to his friend.
It was not the first time for Mkhwebane to be involved in the fraudulent activities. In 2005, he was arrested and given a R2 000 bail for selling a stolen vehicle for R4 000 to its owner with another policeman, Inspector Brandy Mabizela.
They were arrested after a trap was set by the police and the owner who pretended to want to buy a car.
" There has always been an outcry from the public that some police are corrupt and nothing is being done about it. We congratulate the police for the good work. The law should take its course, such officers should be put where they belong because they are not wanted in the South African Police Service," said MEC Masango.
In another incident, a reserve constable from Schoemansdal Police Station was arrested for attempted robbery when they approached people suspected for smuggling illicit goods from Mozambique to South Africa.
The reserve constable and other four men identified themselves as police officials conducting an operation. When the people realised that the men did not look like policemen, they apprehended them and gave them a heavy beating before the police arrived at the scene.
Other suspects managed to run away, however the reserve constable and other two men were arrested.
MEC it was disturbing that police officers colluded with criminals instead of arresting them and protect the law abiding citizens.
"We appeal to the police management to ensure that rotten potatoes are taken out of the system as this would reverse the gains we have made as a country over the years to improve the relations between the police and the public", said Masango.
He urged communities to report any suspicious activities to the police and other government agencies such as the Independent Complaints Directorate.