When you call the police, you’re supposed to believe that you’re calling people who are there to protect you — particularly when you’re a woman reporting violence or sexual assault. But what
happens when the person accused of that violence is wearing the same uniform you’re turning to for help? New figures from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate are raising serious questions about police conduct and accountability. IPID recorded 116 rape cases involving police officers in the 2025/26 financial year, up from 95 the previous year. And perhaps even more disturbing is that 72 of
those cases allegedly involved officers who were on duty at the time, while 44 involved officers who were off duty. These are allegations — they are not findings of guilt — but they raise a very difficult question about public trust. South Africa is already battling extraordinarily high levels of gender-based
violence, so what does it mean when some of the people accused of committing these crimes are members of the institution victims are expected to turn to for protection? And if a woman is afraid
that the person she's reporting may know the police station, the officers and the system she is relying on, how does that affect her willingness to report? Forensic investigator Chad Thomas joins us now to unpack these figures and what they say about policing, accountability and the fight against GBV.