Parliament, Tuesday, 17 August 2021 – The Portfolio Committee on Police has decided to defer approval of its terms of reference for two weeks, following a presentation of the draft Terms of Reference on a Parliamentary Inquiry into the unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
The decision was made to grant Members of Parliament an opportunity to consult, consider, make inputs and decide on the legal framework for the inquiry. “We are steadfast that this process should not be a tick-box exercise, but a thorough process of accountability. It is on this basis that we want to ensure that our work is legally sound, guided by Rules of Parliament and is meaningful in ensuring prevention of similar acts in future,” said the committee Chairperson, Ms Tina Joemat-Pettersson.
The Terms of Reference are essential in ensuring a clear and legally sound process. One of the items that still require clarity relates to issues around the intelligence services especially in the context of a similar process being undertaken by the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence.
The committee will thus in the intervening period receive inputs from Members of the committee and after two weeks finalise and adopt its terms of reference which are a guiding framework for the inquiry. “We remain committed in our resolve to understand what let to lapses within the security establishment and what accountability mechanisms have been implemented. We also do not want to see a recurrence of the violence and looting that resulted in the loss of life and economic activity, and we are hopeful that this process will be a deterrent for such acts from reoccurring,” Ms Joemat-Pettersson emphasised.
Meanwhile, the committee received a follow-up briefing on discipline management within the South African Police Service. The committee welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), regarding cooperation to comply with the IPID Act which was signed on 9 March 2021. The committee is of the view that, through the MoU a strengthened relationship between the IPID and SAPS will ensure conclusion of discipline management.
The committee welcomed the information that in all the 686 cases the SAPS has initiated disciplinary proceedings. Of these 686 cases, the committee acknowledge that 550 cases have been finalised. However, the committee remains concerned that the process remains full of loopholes that must be addressed to ensure a water tight system that guarantees discipline within the SAPS.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON POLICE, MS TINA JOEMAT-PETTERSSON.
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