MINISTER of home affairs, immigration, safety and security Albert Kawana says 150 officers were dismissed from the police between 2020 and 2022 on charges of misconduct.
Kawana said this in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
During the same period, 1 708 officers were charged with misconduct, while 141 police officers were suspended on such charges.
The minister said in 2020, 51 police officers were expelled, 50 were fired in 2021, and 49 were discharged from the police last year.
Kawana said he disclosed this information because there is a perception that no action is taken against police misconduct.
“I just want to assure you about this. People are being fired, demoted, and their salaries are being cut to instil discipline within the police,” he said.
Kawana said when police officers misbehave, they are suspended immediately before a board of inquiry deliberates on the charges.
The minister said from 2018 to this year, 2 765 cases of members of the public resisting, obstructing or assaulting police officers in the execution of their duties were reported.
In addition to that, the minister said, 29 gender-based violence and rape cases against female police officers were reported.
Contributing to the debate, minister of sport, youth and national service Agnes Tjongarero asked when police officers guarding ‘very important persons’ (VIPs) would get days off of be paid overtime when working long hours.
Tjongarero asked Kawana to look into police officers’ working conditions.
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) chief whip Elma Dienda said the police officers tasked to protect VIPs execute this task on an empty stomach as they are paid “peanuts”.
She said the good thing about the police is just their “uniforms”.
“Just imagine, you are protecting somebody and your stomach is empty. What you are getting is peanuts, you are sitting here until late, no overtime, no anything, yet you have to protect people.
“With which stamina do you have to protect them if you yourself are hungry?” she asked.
Dienda said crime is escalating in the country, because police officers do not have the energy to fight crime.
“They are suffering in silence without complaining, because they cannot even toy-toy like some of us. Let’s fight for them for something better,” she said.
Dienda urged Kawana to ensure police officers have access to proper accommodation as many of them live in shacks.
Swapo backbencher Jerry Ekandjo agreed with Dienda that police officers, especially junior officers, stay in shacks.
He asked whether it is not possible that a part of the Ramatex building in the Otjomuise area be turned into police accommodation.
Ekandjo said officers should also have access to transport to and from work.
Kawana responded, saying officers are not paid overtime, since they receive a monthly danger allowance.
He said when the economy improves, the terms and conditions of the police and other uniformed personnel would improve.
On the possibility of a police village, Kawana said his ministry has secured a plot in Windhoek where houses would be built for officers.
He said the police are in the process of fencing the plot off.
