'Focus now on re-skilling, upward mobility and capacitating SAPS detectives'.
Proper and good detective work by members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) can result in dangerous criminals being severely punished for their atrocious crimes; thus reduce crime drastically.
This is the view of the Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa when he singled-out and commended the SAPS Organised Crime Unit in Port Shepstone for the sterling detective work which resulted in Thozamile Taki being found guilty on all 26 charges, including murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. Taki, also known as Umzinto sugarcane serial rapist, appeared in the Durban High Court today for leading evidence and arguments in mitigation of sentencing. His sentencing is set for 19 January 2011.
The minister has been following the case and in fact attended some of the court sittings, wherein he personally met and expressed his gratitude to unit members. The team under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Campbell Nyuswa includes Captain Nico Crouse, Warrant Officer Bridget Crouse, Warrant Officer Ernest Nkabane, Warrant Officer Dumisani Nzama, Captain Samuel Nyawose as well as Captain Francois Moller.
“As the police leadership, we commend these members for their great investigative and detective work. We have over the past two years emphasised the important role that detective needs to play in the fight against crime, across all aspects of policing. When we speak about fighting crime smartly and toughly, this is the kind of smart investigation we shall expect from all our detectives across the country,” he stated.
“Our further emphasis has always been that, proper detective work has some bearing on an outcome of a criminal case in court. Indeed it is worrisome when a serious case such as rape or murder is thrown out of court as a result of insufficient evidence or police officers having boggled the case through shoddy investigations. Without doubt had the investigation been sub-standard, this scoundrel would have walked scot-free and continued his evil acts,” added the minister.
Minister Mthethwa concluded by assuring society that going forward; the ministry will forge ahead with its plans to increase the number of detectives. “We are now paying in-depth attention to the issue of re-skilling, upward mobility and capacitating our detective services. With regard to their training, detective is going to be more vigorous so that we can produce quality rather than quantity.”
This case, which took more than two years and saw almost a hundred witnesses being called to the witness stand, should serve as positive motivation to our investigative teams across the country to emulate. Furthermore, the successful conviction can be attributed to the working-together approach has been seen between this team and their counterparts from Justice and Constitutional Development.
For enquiries, please contact:
Zweli Mnisi (Spokesperson to the Minister of Police)
Cell: 082 045 4024
