SABC footage exposes police extorting money from immigrants

By Tererai Karimakwenda
07 Sept 2005

On Tuesday night SABC's Special Assignment television programme exposed how South African policemen are extorting bribes from illegal immigrants rounded up for that purpose. The scam has become a lucrative business for the officers, who have so far denied being involved in the extortion racket, even though SABC filmed them clearly counting money and negotiating deals to release the immigrants. The SABC programme confirmed allegations that Zimbabwean immigrants have been making for years now.

The footage was so damning that Gauteng Police Commissioner Perumal Naidoo is reported to have stormed out of the SABC studios. Special Assignment's exposé showed how officers at the Booysens police station in Johannesburg were rounding up immigrants as part of a money-making extortion racket. Some were caught on camera taking money from relatives of illegal immigrants.

Ben Roodtman, chairman of the National Press Club of South Africa, was very impressed with the way SABC used the medium to fight crime. He said he was glad they had the courage to flight such footage, and that they gave the commissioner an opportunity to respond, which he did not take advantage of. Roodtman said the programme showed South Africa some lessons, and that rules and regulations must be followed.

The Star newspaper reported that the implicated officers were still on duty 24 hours later and that commissioner Naidoo refused to comment. Trevor Bloem, spokesperson for the Safety and Security Ministry, said there would be an investigation into the matter. Surprisingly, the National police spokesperson Phuti Setati said Naidoo would be investigating the matter.