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Image: Johannesburg Metro Police Department
The Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) has rung in the new year by announcing the establishment of anti-corruption ambassadors for the force, via an initiative encouraging members of the public to blow the whistle on officers breaking the law. This means that residents can take an active stand against corruption within the JMPD) by becoming an anti-corruption ambassador, and the only requirement is that they be over 18 years of age.
The project is driven by the Internal Affairs Directorate of the JMPD.
According to a statement on the City of Joburg website, “People interested in becoming #JMPDAntiCorruption ambassadors are urged to email maccabim@joburg.org.za or call 011 490 1814. Their details will then be captured on a system before they are invited to workshops. If they don’t wish for their details to be on the JMPD system, they can still actively participate in the cause of curbing corruption by reporting it and educating others about it.”
However, attempts to curb police corruption are nothing new, and frankly, have not been effective. Corruption Watch (CW) has been working for almost its entire existence to expose and tackle corruption within the police services, among other sectors, and since the very start has encouraged all South Africans to do the same. A year ago the organisation launched its groundbreaking Veza tool, which assists people in their dealings with the South African Police Service. Using Veza, they can not only get information on their police station and report any kind of police corruption that they experience, but can also nominate officers who render excellent service, track police corruption hotspots, and more.
Veza was developed after CW noticed not a decrease, but rather the opposite in the numbers of reports alleging police corruption.
So the JMPD has its work cut out for it, but any new avenues for reporting police corruption can only be beneficial – provided the information is used effectively. For more information on how to sign up for the anti-corruption project, read the full statement below:
Kick crime to the curb, become a #JMPDAntiCorruption ambassador
You can now take an active stand against corruption within the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) by becoming an anti-corruption ambassador. The Internal Affairs Directorate of the JMPD has launched an initiative encouraging residents to blow the whistle on officers breaking the law.
Sergeant Frans Mabusela, a Team-Leader specialising in Pro-Active Policing within the Internal Affairs Directorate, says the JMPD is eager to enforce the highest achievable standards of professionalism and accountability within the municipal police service.
Mabusela notes that the public needs to support initiatives that promote principles of integrity within policing.
People interested in becoming #JMPDAntiCorruption ambassadors are urged to email maccabim@joburg.org.za or call 011 490 1814. Their details will then be captured on a system before they are invited to workshops. If they don’t wish for their details to be on the JMPD system, they can still actively participate in the cause of curbing corruption by reporting it and educating others about it.
“We want a JMPD that is free of corruption. The only requirement for interested parties wishing to join is to be over the age of 18,” he adds.
Mabusela is leading the recruitment of ordinary members of the public to volunteer to become #JMPDAntiCorruption ambassadors in the fight against corruption within the municipal police service, which is rampant.
“We need ordinary members of the public to keep a watchful eye on corruption within the JMPD and to blow the whistle when necessary. We want them to be our eyes and ears,” Mabusela explains.
He encourages the public to collaborate with the JMPD in taking a stand against corruption within policing.
Mabusela says part of the reward of being a #JMPDAntiCorruption ambassador will be the pride of knowing one has done their citizen duty.
“We want the public to be part of the solution and make efforts to stop corruption,” he says.
JMPD Anti-Corruption Ambassadors will be entrusted with the responsibility of educating JMPD officers and other members of the public against unethical behaviour or corruption.
“As a country, we have to get to a point of realizing ‘enough is enough’ with corruption.”
Remember, you can report corruption and unethical behaviour among JMPD officers through four methods:
• Contact the JMPD’s anti-fraud and corruption hotline: 0800 203 712
• Email complaints to ChristopherNet@joburg.org.za
• WhatsApp: 063 253 1928 or
• Visit Wemmer Complex, at 22 Loveday Street, Marshalltown.
