A scandal gripping South Africa has exposed the frayed edges of a police force where loyalty to a lover may have outweighed duty. The inquiry, live and ongoing, centres on police commissioner Lieutenant General Elias Mavuso. He stands accused of accepting gifts from a romantic partner, a woman with alleged ties to criminal networks.
The gifts include a luxury vehicle and cash payments. In return, critics say, the police turned a blind eye to drug operations. The cocaine raids that followed were botched.
Evidence went missing. Raids targeted the wrong addresses. For working class communities in townships like Soweto, this is not just a story of high level corruption.
It is about the deteriorating trust in the institutions meant to protect them. A mother in Alexandra township told me: “The police don’t come when we call. And when they do, it is for the wrong reasons.
” The commissioner denies all wrongdoing. But the inquiry has already heard testimony from junior officers who describe a culture of fear and favour. Union representatives for police staff say wages are stagnant and morale is low.
They argue that low pay makes officers vulnerable to bribery. “If a senior officer can be bought with a car, what hope is there for the constable earning minimum wage?” one union leader said.
The real economy feels the ripple. Small shop owners in drug plagued neighbourhoods say they face extortion from gangs who operate with impunity. The cost of living rises as police resources are diverted.
The price of bread goes up when supply routes are unsafe. The inquiry continues. But for many South Africans, the damage is done.
The question is not just whether the commissioner is guilty. It is whether the police can ever be trusted again.
