Pretoria - Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has called for an urgent review of the policy that sees police officers receive full pay while on suspension.
Mthethwa has asked SAPS management to review the policy, which resulted in police paying almost R2.5 million in salaries to police officers in the 2009/2010 financial year.
"We want to halt precedence where officers get involved in criminality willy-nilly while knowing that financially, they will not be negatively affected," he said.
He now tasked police management to consult extensively on the issue, come up with urgent proposals and provide him with a report by the end of next month.
"As we tighten the screws on police members who are engaged in acts of criminality, we must close all the loopholes that currently exist beyond pressing criminal charges on such scrupulous members. We must also hit them where it hurts most: in the pocket," Mthethwa said during a reply to questions of the issue in Parliament.
The review process will take into account police officers' employment and labour laws to ensure these rights are not infringed.
The Police Ministry is hoping a review of the suspension-with-pay policy will be a further step in its efforts to eliminate police involvement in criminality, while at the same time, saving government millions of Rands.
"A total number of 105 police officers were suspended with full pay in the 2009/2010 fiscal year pending a variety of investigations against them. A total amount of R2 456 649.85 was spent on paying salaries of these suspended police officers," he added.
The charges the police officers faced included allegations of assault, theft and drunken driving.
Charges included the violation of SAPS rules and regulations such as failure to comply with standing orders or national instructions, as well as failure to comply with acts, regulations or legal obligations.
Mthethwa said the number of police officers suspended with full pay was a concern, not only because of the financial burden the investigations placed on the SAPS, but also because it dented the image of police.
