"It concerns me as to whether or not you have looked at the Bill when this costing was drafted?" the Chairperson wanted to know from SAPS this week.
"When Bills come before the Committee, the costs must already have been calculated. That is the position with all new legislation."
The Bill seeks among others to provide for taking bodily samples for the purposes of forensic DNA analysis, provide for the use of forensic DNA profiles in the investigation of crime and use such profiles in proving the innocence or guilt of persons during a prosecution, or the exoneration of convicted persons.
In adopting the Bill, Committee Members said they believed the Bill will have a particular impact on solving crimes against women and children. Ms van Wyk said she was aware that the Bill would not eradicate crime, but it would contribute immensely to crime-fighting efforts by the Police Service.But her Committee was not satisfied with the manner in which the South African Police Service dealt with the costing implications of the Bill. SAPS admitted this week that it had only held meetings on financial requirements of the implementation of the Bill in response to questions raised by Committee members in meetings a couple of months ago.
"I want to reiterate the fact that this is unsatisfactory. It is like extracting teeth, or more like pulling your own teeth, it's that painful. To get to a situation where have three meetings to reach a point where we force (you) to sit down and apply your mind, is nonsense. It is not our job to manage you."
Ms Dianne Kohler-Barnard expressed the Committee's discontent: "You knew this Bill was happening, and it just seems to me that there was absolutely no preparation for this. This seems like last-minute scrambling. We've had to send you back twice and now it is given to us at the last moment. I do not believe you are prepared at all. I am horrified at what is happening here."
Addressing the investigation into two police contracts; TETRA (Terrestrial Trunked Radio) and PCEM (Property Control and Exhibit Management) by the National Commissioner, the Chairperson said: "The reason for conducting these investigations was because all the add-ons were perceived to be illegal. I remind you that the original PCEM contract was something like R186m, which has since spiralled out of control. So I want to know, given that the Commissioner said this publicly more than a year ago, how is it possible that we spent another R8m?"
The Chairperson said the obvious question was where the money would come from?
"In the environment of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), you have already spent 213% on consultants, and there are still two quarters to go, so where is this money coming from?"
Ms Van Wyk reminded SAPS that the Committee would expect quarterly implementation progress reports.
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