By Everson Luhanga
- KwaZulu-Natal police officers suspended after using a state van to transport a colleague’s child to matric dance.
- The commissioner orders them to pay back petrol costs and warns other officers about misusing resources.
Police officers in KwaZulu-Natal have been suspended after they used a police van to take a colleague’s child to a matric dance.
The incident happened in Estcourt and was caught on video that went viral on social media.
The clip shows uniformed officers transporting a learner in a state vehicle.
Provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said the officers were on duty at the time and ignored their main job of patrolling and keeping residents safe.
“I have instructed the district commissioner of Uthukela to ensure that the immediate commander of the officers involved must take urgent disciplinary steps against them,” said Mkhwanazi.
He added that finance teams must calculate the financial loss to the state caused by the trip.
“State petrol, state time and the running cost of that vehicle should be claimed from those members,” he said.
The commissioner said the community often complains that police vans are not available when they are needed.
He said officers cannot “gallivant with state resources that are meant to serve the communities.”
Mkhwanazi warned all police staff to act professionally and use state property only for official work.
He said anyone found misusing vehicles, stationery or any other government resources would face tough internal discipline and possible criminal charges that could lead to dismissal.
The officers were supposed to be responding to complaints and patrolling their area instead of providing a taxi service.
Pictured above: The police van.
Image source: Screenshot of video
