Public perceptions of JMPD are of a corrupt and ineffective department

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Public perceptions of JMPD are of a corrupt and ineffective department

A JMPD vehicle is on hand during an operation.

Emily Wellman Bain and Aimee Mcgill nmt@caxton.co.za

With budget shortfalls, corrupt members and staffing issues, the metro cops are unable to carry out their mandate effectively.

Where the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) is concerned, claims of bribery and corruption are never difficult to find. Whether it is the proverbial one bad apple that is spoiling the reputation of the whole batch, or whether the rot lies so deep that the entire department is tainted is difficult to know. But one thing is for sure, JMPD has a reputation, and it is not a good one.

JMPD officers check vehicles during a roadblock.

For all intents and purposes, JMPD’s role involves by-law enforcement and traffic policing, neither of which it seems to be achieving with any noticeable level of success. Despite having almost 600 officers on duty daily, JMPD still relies on partnerships with the likes of Outsurance to manage traffic. Its officers are routinely accused of soliciting bribes, and frustrations on community social media groups of the entity not responding timeously to by-law infringement complaints seem endless.

Moepeng Valencia Talane, editor and senior journalist at Corruption Watch, says that they receive a steady stream of complaints about the JMPD.

She puts it plainly, stating that their reputation of being corrupt is because many officers are corrupt and are open to being bribed.

“Anyone using the roads will interact with them, at one point or another where a bribe may be solicited or offered.”

This is a culture I do not see going away anytime soon.

She says JMPD officers may feel emboldened to request a bribe because their names are not sewn onto their uniform but attached and can easily be removed to avoid identification.

A JMPD officer confiscates knives from a driver during a traffic stop.

“It is also so easy for a random traffic stop to be set up near a club or bar to try and catch drunk drivers who are more likely to refuse a breathalyser test and are more susceptible to offering a bribe. These setups are not always official but can be done by rogue officers to prey on motorists with little accountability.” (Add JMPD right of reply – how to know if its a real or ‘rogue’ officer

A security expert who did not want to be named due to often working with JMPD on operations also does not have much faith in the entity.

“It is common knowledge that people can pay JMPD to get out of a fine or other issue,” he claimed. “Roadblocks are routinely placed where wealthier people live as it makes getting a bribe more likely for a small offence like driving a little over the speed limit.”

The so-called spot-fine debate

At the intersection of Herder Road and Beyers Naude, a few weeks ago, a Johannesburg resident Keshna Schoeman experienced the worst of JMPD, first-hand. After a night out at a fund-raising event, Schoeman went through a JMPD roadblock, where an alcohol breathalyser test was done. She tested positive. According to Schoeman, she had not had anything alcoholic to drink that night, but had used mouthwash that contained alcohol, due to and oral abscess. While at first glance, this sounds like a typical he said/ she said story, Schoeman goes on to detail how adamant she had been that she would not pay the so-called ‘spot-fine’ that was being solicited.
“I insisted to the officers on duty that I wanted to go through the process. I was prepared to be taken into custody, and have blood samples taken to prove that I was innocent. I was accused of lying.”

Justin Jones says by not dealing with the small issues such as illegal advertising, the bigger issues will not be dealt with effectively.

The officers, including a brigadier, allegedly said she could avoid a fine or arrest if she ‘bought coffee for the officers’ which she ‘recognised as an attempt at bribery’.
When she insisted on being given the names of the officers, she was pressured to leave the scene.

After the event, Schoeman learned that others had a similar experience, with one person paying a spot fine out of fear and intimidation.

So what is a spot fine? A spot fine is an on-the-spot penalty issued for minor traffic violations. They are issued for offences such as speeding, illegal parking, and failure to wear seatbelts. In Johannesburg, the driver is not obliged to pay a spot fine immediately at the roadside check because the motorist has multiple representative options, which may include the option to contest in court.”

JMPD conducts a raid at the Northcliff Eco Park.

The spokesperson of JMPD Xolani Fihla says, “Residents should report any observed bribery to a JMPD supervisor or through our official complaint channels from the Internal Affairs Unit. We need to maintain integrity and accountability. Regarding systemic corruption, we have internal mechanisms, including whistleblower policies, to encourage officers to report misconduct.”

Also read: SCP security and JMPD lead successful cleanup operation

INFO BOX: What JMPD actually does

Traffic policing
Policing of municipal by-laws and regulations
Crime prevention
Security services

BOX Common complaints:

Corruption and misconduct
Poor traffic management
Not impounding unroadworthy vehicles
Not removing illegal pointsman from intersections
Not deterring the homeless from moving into public parks / curbing littering and destruction of greenbelts
Not policing public drinking, urinating
Taxi lawlessness
Not responding timeously to complaints like noise pollution
Not checking business licences for shebeens and bars
Not enforcing outdoor advertising licences.

A JMPD officer checks a driver’s licence.

Bylaw enforcement, or lack thereof

A member of a Johannesburg Community Policing Forum (CPF) who wishes to remain anonymous as they work with JMPD says, “The majority of complaints against JMPD would either be for lack of action regarding by-law enforcement, traffic infringements by taxi drivers, illegal taxi ranks, unroadworthy vehicles being used as taxis, and the time it takes for JMPD to respond to call-outs.”

He and others say there are some very good and dedicated officers but claim there are far more ‘who do the bare minimum to get their salary, like the uniform and driving a vehicle with blue lights’.

Fihla says, “JMPD engages in regular patrols and community outreach to deter crime proactively. Recent initiatives have included targeted operations in high-crime areas based on recent data. The department prioritises areas based on reports of violations, community feedback, and observed trends. We aim to maintain a balanced presence across diverse neighbourhoods.

One issue raised often by communities is public parks and green spaces which are routinely desecrated by illegal actions by displaced people who sleep in the parks. Another is illegal dumping also occurs in these spaces by some recyclers who discard unwanted items after raiding Pikitup bins on refuse removal days.

While some raids to remove displaced people in these green spaces are conducted by JMPD or clean-up operations by other city entities and community organisations are performed, they are often ad-hoc and have no lasting benefit as the anti-social behaviour continues soon after the intervention. Without continuous actions, these efforts seem to be largely fruitless.

JMPD spokesperson Superintendent Xolani Fihla.

Fihla says, “When alerted to individuals living in parks, we assess the situation with dignity and humanity. Our approach aims to balance individual rights with community safety. If structures are identified, we first engage in dialogue to offer assistance. We recognise the importance of partnership with social services to provide holistic support.
“We acknowledge the challenges of one-off operations and aim to collaborate with various entities to ensure lasting solutions. Continuous engagement with community organisations helps develop comprehensive strategies.”

Ward 101 councillor Ralf Bittkau says, “JMPD is sadly lacking in by-law enforcement. Other than continuous roadblocks and speed monitoring, there is a total lack of law enforcement. This is emphasised by their driving past illegal traffic controllers and the lack of positive response to land invasions. Even the reluctance to respond to public complaints regarding illegal trading or other issues such as loitering is very obvious.”

He says JMPD also lacks the necessary drive to implement any type of detective work, including even ‘such simple tasks as finding owners of properties to enforce cleaning or getting eviction orders for land invasions’.

Ward 73 councillor Eleanor Huggett says, “JMPD personnel are so few on the ground and the issues so enormous that it is overwhelming.”

Fihla says the three primary challenges for the department are, staffing shortages, resource limitations, and community engagement barriers. “If faced with adequate resources, we would enhance recruitment efforts, increase community outreach, and invest in technology to improve operations.”

How the Broken Window Theory applies

Town planner Justin Jones says, “In a vacuum of policing, the destruction of the city is explained through the broken window theory by having by-laws that are not enforced with very little proactive application of the law.”

The Broken Window Theory implies that if you don’t take care of the small issues (like petty crime, grime and disorder) it leads to the bigger issues taking root more easily in communities and cities. Social scientists James Wilson and George Kelling coined the phrase in 1982 which used broken windows as a metaphor for disorder within neighbourhoods.

“Financial constrains affect effective policing and mixed with a cocktail of corruption and incompetence, it is little wonder that JMPD is viewed so poorly. Sometimes it is even worse than people being useless – it is just corruption,” says Jones.

The broken window theory indicates that if by-laws are ignored, an escalation in serious offences is likely to follow. Could this be the reason that crime in South Africa is at such unacceptably high levels? Despite the challenges faced by JMPD officers, the bad apples are seriously upsetting the cart and more needs to be done to ensure that the entity is able to perform its duties optimally – the future of the City, quite literally, depends on it.

How to report a corrupt JMPD officer

Contact the JMPD Anti-Fraud and Corruption Hotline: Call 080 020 3712.
Go directly to the JMPD Internal Affairs Unit office at Village Main Road and Loveday Street, Wemmer.
A WhatsApp line (063 253 1928) has been introduced where the public can report any inappropriate acts by JMPD officials.

You may be asked to submit a written statement or affidavit. This should include all the details of the incident, as well as any supporting evidence. “Once you’ve reported the incident, follow up to ensure that your complaint is being investigated. You can contact the JMPD Anti-Fraud and Corruption Hotline for updates,” says Fihla.

He adds if you feel that your complaint is not being handled appropriately, you can also report the incident to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).

“If the investigation finds evidence of wrongdoing, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken against the officer involved. We take these matters very seriously and are committed to maintaining the integrity of our personnel.”