Corruption Watch Launches Project to Expose Police Corruption
Corruption Watch – a non-profit organization in South Africa – has been selected as one of 12 finalists in the Google Impact Challenge, a competition to find the most innovative not-for-profit African organizations using technology to solve societal problems.
Through the launch of its Bua Mzansi – Know Your Police Station project, Corruption Watch will develop an interactive online tool aimed at enhancing public participation and transparency in the South African Police Service.
As of June 2018, Corruption Watch received over 24,000 reports of alleged corruption from across South Africa. Police corruption comprised 6% of the total complaints received and is highlighted as a sectoral hot spot for bribery and the abuse of power.
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Civil society, media reports, and public sector bodies often paint a grim picture of the extent of police misconduct in South Africa. Institutions such as the Independent Policing Investigative Directorate recorded over 7,000 complaints from the public in 2017, indicating police misconduct such as torture, assault, rape, etc.
Corruption Watch believes that issues of crime and corruption cannot be addressed effectively if the institutions mandated with combating such activities are entrenched in deep criminality and corrupt behaviour.
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The interactive tool will empower communities to hold police officers accountable. Its functionality will grant the public access to over 1,100 police stations throughout the country, and allow residents to rate the police stations based on their experiences as well as report incidents of corruption.
“Our hope is that by strengthening mechanisms that enable communities to hold their police accountable, we will contribute to building trust between the communities and the police,” Corruption Watch said.
This project aims to reduce corruption in the policing sector by empowering communities to be part of the solution. You can vote and help Corruption Watch double its funding to $250,000 and launch the Bua Mzansi – Know Your Police Station project.
Photo courtesy: Corruption Watch
