More than R3,7-billion in claims for damages have been made against the police between 2005 and early 2008.
The claims emanated from cases of wrongful arrest, assault, car accidents and shootings.
However, Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula can't say just how many complaints in connection with assault and wrongful arrest were lodged against police officers during this period.
This emerged on Wednesday when Nqakula rendered a written response to parliamentary questions from Freedom Front Plus MP Pieter Groenewald.
Nqakula said that up to February this year, 4 467 claims - totalling R1,23-billion - were instituted between 2007 and 2008.
The previous year saw 4 177 claims for R1,09-billion while in 2005 and 2006 there were 4 234 claims for R1,5-billion.
The claims were received following alleged unlawful arrests and detentions, shooting incidents, assaults and motor vehicle collisions, the minister said.
Responding to another question from Groenewald, Nqakula said he could not provide details about complaints of wrongful assault since these were reported to a variety of agencies including the Independent Complaints Directorate, the Secretariat for Safety and Security and the office of the Public Protector.
According to Nqakula, this made it virtually impossible to compile a report about such complaints and obtaining the information would be time-consuming and require that staff be redeployed from their essential duties.
Groenewald said he was far from satisfied.
"From the answers of the minister it is clear that he does not know what is going on in the police. Against the background of more than R1,2-billion worth of claims against the police made last year, which the taxpayer has to pay, the answer shows incompetence.
"Wrongful arrests and assaults are direct proof of insufficient training and ignorance. If he doesn't know the details, how can he take any action to rectify the situation?"
"The minister's answer is very disconcerting and gives police members a free mandate to act illegally against the public," Groenewald said.
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