News24 | Do not accept bribes disguised as ‘cold drink’, Mkhwanazi warns as new officers join SAPS

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has warned newly trained police officers against accepting bribes.

• KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has urged new officers to reject bribes and uphold their oath of office.
• He spoke as 145 new police constables - 109 women and 36 men - graduated from the SAPS Academy in Ulundi.
• They will be deployed to various parts of the province to boost safety and crime-fighting efforts.

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, has cautioned newly trained police officers against accepting bribes.

Speaking during the passing out parade at the SAPS Academy in Ulundi on Friday, he also warned the new recruits against forming relationships with criminals and reminded them of the oath they had taken to serve and protect the people of South Africa.

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“Some will be happy for you to the point of offering you bribes, which they will refer to as a cold drink. Do not accept such,” he warned.

“Love your country, respect the people you serve, and respect the oath of office you took when you joined the police.”

Mkhwanazi was addressing 145 new police constables about a month after he alleged that organised crime syndicates had infiltrated the South African Police Service, prompting President Cyril Ramaphosa to put Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave and establish a judicial commission of inquiry.

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The constables - 109 women and 36 men - had just completed their six-month Introductory Police Development Learning Programme and were declared competent.

They will be deployed to various parts of the province.

Mkhwanazi told the officers that policing came with great responsibility and authority, and reminded them that criminals often tried to befriend officers so that they could evade the law.

He urged the new recruits to serve with integrity and to prioritise the safety and lives of South African citizens.

The new intake of officers is expected to bolster the province’s crime-fighting efforts and improve police visibility.