members

It is unacceptable for members not to comply with the prescripts on the day; members should have done it then and there, instead of later.

“To say on a later occasion they were told to do it, to me it is not acceptable. Because if they were supposed to do that, they should have done it on the day.”

There was a failure to act against members who reported violations of exhibit handling and storage protocols at Port Shepstone, allowing a culture of non-compliance to persist for five years.

“the way the exhibits are being handled, the way they are being stored . And your failure to take action against members who reported to you on the day ... for five years you do nothing about it and people continued doing the same thing over and over again ... it creates this culture where prescriptions are just there on paper. Nobody complies with them and people do as they please . And seniors at your level do not do anything about it . They do not take action against those officers .”

Not all Exhibit Clerks keep forensic exhibit bags, some members, operational members and detectives keep bags for daily duties.

“At some police stations, you will get forensic bags from the Exhibit Clerks. At some police stations, you will get bags from the members, operational members and Detectives. Everybody who uses bags in his daily duties might keep the bags.”

Members took proper photos of seizures, including bagging and sealing, and compiled albums for several cases.

“our members have taken, on these seizures as well, taken photos, proper photos, photos of bagging, sealing, all of that, and compiled an album, even of those 10 cases that General Flynn looked at”

There was complacency and old habits among members handling the crime scene, but measures will be taken to improve.

“I think I would say again, that we have been complacent. I think old habits die hard, or our experiences sometimes made us a little complacent. But like I say, it will not happen again. We will call these relevant role players out to do their job.”

These members radioed their commander to inform him they were going to assist with conveying exhibits to Isipingo SAP.

“They radioed their commander to inform him that they were going to assist with regards to conveying exhibits to Isipingo SAP.”

The number of evidence collected was 700 according to some statements, but the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) received 715; witnesses confirmed 715 indicating incomplete exploration and receipt of exhibits by members, considered a human error.

“The number of evidence collected, 10 statements indicate 700, whereas FSL received 715. Several witness statements also confirmed 715. The one brick of Cocaine recovered by LCR and handed over to DPCI, indicating members did not fully explore and receive all exhibits, a human error given the circumstances.”

Initial statements from Commanders indicated they were not aware of what their members were doing at the crime scene, but they later changed their version and should have obtained their statements immediately.

“Statements from Commanders, but initially indicated telephonically they were not aware of what their members were doing, but later changed their version, should have been obtained immediately.”

The witness receives information from informants daily, including on alleged bribes and threats, and ensures threat analysis is performed based on this information.

“Even the information which I gave the members regarding the alleged bribe and the threat, and make sure that there must be a threat analysis, I got it from informants, people who phone me on a daily basis.”