A Gauteng High Court has found the Minister of Police liable after a woman’s vehicle was stripped of its engine and other critical parts while in police custody at a state storage facility.
Acting Judge Jacques Minnaar recently ruled that the South African Police Service failed in its duty to protect Suzette Paradza’s 2014 Volkswagen Golf while it was held as an exhibit at the SAPS 13 storage facility in Pretoria West.
The vehicle entered police custody on 24 May 2022 after Warrant Officer Warren Timothy Bishop recovered it in Laudium. Bishop testified that the car could start, was complete, and had an engine fitted when he brought it to the facility.
When Paradza collected her vehicle in September 2022, she struggled to obtain the keys and had to tow it away. At a mechanic’s workshop, she discovered the bonnet had been wired shut and the engine was missing.
Further inspection revealed extensive damage. Besides the engine, thieves had removed the gearbox, water pump, flywheel, alternator, starter, manifold, bumper, cooler, regulator fan and catalytic converter. An automotive expert with 29 years of experience testified that stripping the vehicle would have taken one to two days.
The court heard that the security officer who booked the vehicle into storage confirmed it arrived with its engine fitted. However, the facility’s procedures were found to be lacking. Officers who completed release documentation had not physically inspected the vehicle before issuing exit permits.
Police attempted to use an indemnity Paradza signed when collecting the vehicle as a defence. The document stated she received the car in good condition and released the government from liability.
Judge Minnaar rejected this argument, finding that Paradza was not on equal footing with the officials and received little assistance while recovering her property. He ruled that enforcing the indemnity would be “unfair and unjust” under the circumstances.
The judgment dealt only with liability. The assessment of damages was postponed to separate proceedings, with no final compensation amount yet determined.
MISA demands accountability
The Motor Industry Staff Association has called for urgent action following the court ruling.
“Motorists hand over their vehicles with the reasonable expectation that they will be protected and returned in the same condition,” said Martlé Keyter, chief executive officer for operations at MISA. “When a vehicle is stripped while in police custody, it raises troubling questions about oversight, accountability and the effectiveness of security measures at state-owned facilities.”
MISA has called on the Ministry of Police to conduct a nationwide audit of all vehicle storage facilities under SAPS control, strengthen security and access-control measures, improve inventory and chain-of-custody processes, and ensure officials found negligent or complicit are held accountable.
The organisation highlighted the broader impact of the illicit vehicle parts trade, noting that every stolen component fuels an underground economy that deprives legitimate businesses and skilled automotive workers of income and opportunities.
“An indemnity cannot become a substitute for accountability,” Keyter said. “If a vehicle is not safe in police custody, then it means it is not safe anywhere.”
ALSO READ: Over 3,400 police firearms lost or stolen in five years
