The SAPS faces 48,569 civil claims for unlawful arrest and wrongful detention, potentially costing up to R56.7bn. Behind these figures lies a toxic mix of poor training, weak supervision and entrenched impunity that steadily hollows out public trust in law enforcement.

Franco O'Riley was unlawfully arrested and detained from 6 to 8 December 2016. Although his civil settlement was only finalised in August 2025, the trauma of his time behind bars still haunts him. He remains deeply shaken by the memory and the fear of being sexually assaulted while in custody.

On Wednesday, 14 January 2026, O'Riley - who at the time of his arrest was employed at Wimpy Zeerust, North West - candidly recalled the harrowing events of his detention.

"My greatest fear was being raped in prison. Luckily there were not too many people in my cell. After an experience like this, you are never the same person again. You lose all trust in the police. You fear them, and you will never call the police again," he said.

In an attempt to start afresh, he left his hometown and moved to a completely different place to rebuild his life.

In August 2025, the South African Police Service (SAP)S was ordered to pay O'Riley R80,000 after his unlawful arrest and detention in 2016.

O'Riley was arrested without a warrant on a charge of common assault. The SAPS failed to listen to his explanation. However, in August 2025, the...