Gauteng’s ruling party and opposition are facing renewed questions about integrity in the province’s law enforcement after a written reply from Premier Panyaza Lesufi revealed a Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) member allegedly took more than R1.5 million in cash in a single day.
Numbers disclosed in parliamentary reply
The claim appears in Annexure A of Lesufi’s response to questions tabled in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature by Democratic Alliance MPL Sergio dos Santos about bribery across the province’s traffic and metro police services. According to the JMPD’s submission, 185 JMPD members were investigated for fraud and corruption by the department’s Internal Affairs Unit between January 2022 and April 2026.
“There is no known total amount known as some of the extortion and corruption attempts were not completed, however the highest amount that was taken on one day was R1.5 million Rand in cash.”
The JMPD response included additional disciplinary outcomes but did not give detail about the alleged R1.5 million incident — when it happened, how the money was obtained, who allegedly paid it, or whether a criminal investigation or charges followed.
Disciplinary actions and unanswered questions
Alongside the investigation tally, the JMPD reported that 47 members had been suspended or reassigned to other duties following bribery investigations, and 17 members were dismissed. The department did not provide a total figure for money allegedly solicited or taken, citing incomplete attempts at extortion and corruption.
| Disposition | Number |
|---|---|
| Members investigated | 185 |
| Suspended / reassigned | 47 |
| Dismissed | 17 |
Political reaction and wider concerns
The DA, which raised the questions in the legislature, said the disclosure underscored a pattern of complaints about fraud, corruption, extortion and theft involving traffic and metropolitan police departments across Gauteng since 2022. The party has argued that hundreds of complaints have been recorded against members of the Gauteng Traffic Police, JMPD, Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department and Tshwane Metro Police Department.
Lesufi’s written reply provides a record of what the JMPD reported to the provincial government, but it leaves many practical questions unanswered that are likely to trouble residents who encounter law enforcement officers on Gauteng roads.
What the public needs to know
For motorists and ordinary citizens, the revelations raise immediate concerns about safety and accountability. Key points for the public to note:
- Allegations remain that an officer took R1.5 million in cash in a single day; the JMPD’s reply did not specify further details or outcomes.
- Many investigations since 2022 — 185 at JMPD alone — did not translate into a reported total of amounts allegedly solicited or taken.
- Disciplinary action has led to suspensions, reassignments and some dismissals, but transparency on criminal processes is lacking.
Residents who believe they have been victims of extortion or bribery by a traffic or metro officer should continue to report incidents to the SAPS and to the relevant metro police internal affairs units, and keep any evidence such as bank confirmation, receipts, or witnesses. The JMPD and other departments are obliged to investigate and, where appropriate, refer matters for criminal prosecution.
Accountability gaps and next steps
The absence of detail about the alleged R1.5 million incident leaves a gap between disclosure and accountability. The provincial legislature may pursue further oversight questions, and opposition MPLs can demand supplemental information on the timing of incidents, whether matters were referred to the SAPS or the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks), and what steps were taken to recover funds or press charges.
For now, the document lodged in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature provides a partial — and troubling — picture of corruption investigations inside a metropolitan police service that is meant to protect and serve. The onus is on authorities to turn numbers on paper into transparent outcomes that restore public confidence.
City: Johannesburg
