Police vetting and firearm controls questioned after IPID GBVF figures - IOL

This week, Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia tabled IPID’s 2025/2026 annual report in the National Assembly and revealed that 5,259 cases had been registered, of which 332 were related to GBVF.

The National Portfolio Committee on Police said a badge cannot become protection from accountability and that police officers must be properly vetted as gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) grow across the country.

The Operations for Crime & Justice Forum also called for stringent psychiatric evaluations, saying it was no longer safe for police firearms to be taken home.

This week, Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia tabled IPID’s 2025/2026 annual report in the National Assembly and revealed that 5,259 cases had been registered, of which more than 330 were related to GBVF. Two recent cases in the Western Cape and Limpopo saw police officers arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder, allegedly linked to GBVF.

The Ministry told Weekend Argus that psychological and psychiatric support was being offered to police officers working under stressful conditions or facing mental-health issues.

Kamogelo Mogotsi, spokesperson for Cachalia, said the ministry was offering psychological and psychiatric support to police officers working under stressful conditions.

“Police officers work under tremendous pressure and are exposed to traumatising situations. The ministry is concerned about the wellbeing of members and constantly ensures that the necessary support is availed to them,” said Mogotsi when asked what support was being provided to officers.

“It is for that reason that there is the SAPS Employee Health and Wellness Social Work Services that offers a range of services such as medical, psychiatric, psychological support, amongst others.”

A total of 122 cases were referrals, mainly involving domestic violence, while 116 were cases of rape by a police officer, 58 involved assault and torture, 24 involved murder and 10 involved the discharge of an official firearm.

Lizzy Suping, IPID’s spokesperson, said stations with the highest number of recorded GBVF-related cases were Kimberley in the Northern Cape and Marianhill in KwaZulu-Natal, with seven cases each. They were followed by Madadeni in KwaZulu-Natal, with six cases, and Phoenix in KwaZulu-Natal, Humewood in the Eastern Cape and Welkom in the Free State, with five cases each.

“In the year under review, IPID secured 84 criminal convictions of various crimes which was an increase of just under 50% from the previous year, where we secured 43 convictions,” she said.

“Sentences ranged from a few months to life imprisonment. Of the 84 convictions secured, 26 were GBVF related cases.”

Earlier this week, in the Western Cape, police officer Keegan Petersen appeared in the Blue Downs Magistrates’ Court, where he is facing two counts of murder, three counts of attempted murder and illegal possession of ammunition. More charges are likely to be added as the investigation continues.

Eric Ntabazalila, regional communications manager for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), said the State would oppose his release on bail.

“The State alleges that the accused fetched his girlfriend from her home and took her to his place. Her brother and another man arrived looking for her,” he said.

“The State alleges that he fatally shot his girlfriend’s brother and the man he was with and attempted to kill three others including his girlfriend. During investigation police found four shotgun bullets in a safe in his home. His case has been postponed until October 6, 2026 for bail application. The State will oppose the Schedule 6 bail application.”

In Limpopo, a police sergeant allegedly shot and killed a man in a road-rage incident, raped a teenage girl and then fatally shot himself in Ga-Masha, outside Jane Furse, in September.

Furthermore in separate incidents during June, a shooting involving a member of the police left three people dead, two injured and a police officer dead in Hennenman. Free State police said the incident involved a 47-year-old rural safety co-ordinator stationed in Hennenman.

Another incident took place in Parsonsvlei, Gqeberha, in July 2026, when a 44-year-old male sergeant based at New Brighton SAPS allegedly shot and killed his wife, a 34-year-old sergeant based at Mount Road SAPS, in a domestic murder-suicide. Two minors were found unharmed.

In August 2025, an inquest docket was opened after a Brakpan police sergeant killed himself and his wife following a domestic dispute.

National Portfolio Committee chairperson Ian Cameron questioned how police officers were vetted before a firearm and badge were placed in their possession.

“Natasha Booise was 32 years old. In January 2022 she was out with family in Piketberg when her boyfriend, SAPS member Richard ‘Makka’ Smit, found her,” he said.

“He (then) shot her. The court later heard that Smit already had previous assault convictions, yet remained in SAPS and retained access to a firearm. Even the judge questioned how that had been allowed to happen.

“Smit was eventually convicted of Natasha’s premeditated murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.

“It was also a warning about vetting, discipline, firearm control and what happens when warning signs involving police members are not acted on properly.

“A badge cannot become protection from accountability.”

Zona Morton, director at Operations for Crime and Justice Forum said it was no longer safe for police officers to take their firearms home.

“I have noted a disturbing pattern of inconsistency when it comes to action against police officers charged with murder, attempted murder and sexual offences,” she said.

“It is no longer safe for those around SAPS members who take their service firearms home.  

“The latest tragic event once again speaks to the ease at which Constable Petersen could simply take his firearm out to resolve a domestic dispute and gun down two civilians and injure another.

“We cannot simply hold disciplinary after disciplinary and expect a different outcome. Whilst I understand the immense stress SAPS work under, there is no justification to just take your firearm and simply kill someone.

“We should hold our men and women in much higher regard and to much higher sanction, thus we need to urgently re-look the vetting process and not become another employment agency who simply falls into the trap of bureaucratic employment guidelines. The best of the best should be recruited and psychiatric evaluation should be more stringent,” said Morton.