Parliament, Wednesday, 14 June 2023 – Stakeholders within the police portfolio took the opportunity presented by the meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Police today to extend their heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Chairperson of the committee, Ms Tina Monica Joemat-Pettersson who passed away last week.
All the stakeholders including the committee, the Minister, National Commissioner of the South African Police Service, Executive Director of Independent Police Investigative Directorate, Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Acting Heads of the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service, Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority and South African Human Rights Commission all confirmed that Ms Joemat-Pettersson was a dedicated, tough but fair leader that did not hesitate in ensuring safety of the people of South Africa.
All of them committed, in the memory of Ms Joemat-Pettersson, to pick up the spear she leaves in the fight against crime in the country.
The stakeholders all extended heartfelt condolences to the extended Joemat-Pettersson family and friends. “We are grateful to have worked with Tina and we can affirm her commitment to the people of this country. She lived her life for the betterment of the people, and we are poorer without her. We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and friends in this time of uncertainty and pain,” said Mr Nocks Seabi, the Acting Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police.
Meanwhile, the committee has commended the amount of work already undertaken by law enforcement agencies to investigate cases emanating from the Judicial Commission of inquiry into allegations of state capture. The committee welcomed the assurance that 15 investigating officers from the DPCI have been assigned and continue to work with the Investigative Directorate within the NPA to investigate about 140 cases. The committee also appreciates that since November 2022 there has been a deliberate focus on cases that emanate from the State Capture Commission with the intent of ensuring prosecution.
Despite this, the committee has raised concern with the capacity within the DPCI to conduct complex cases and see them through to conviction. The committee was assured that implementation is currently ongoing to enhance the skill set and capacity within the DPCI to ensure successful investigation and prosecution of complex cases.
In the meantime, the committee was critical about the delays in ensuring that the Critical Infrastructure Council is functional, as well as delays in the finalisation of the regulations which have a direct impact on operationalising the Critical Infrastructure Protection Act. The committee welcomes the assurance that all the teething challenges have now been ironed out and the implementation of the entire Act will commence.
The committee has also welcomed the assurance that the IPID Amendment Bill is now ready to be tabled before Parliament by the end of June. This matter has long been in the committee’s plan to ensure that IPID is enabled to effectively deliver its mandate.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE ACTING CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON POLICE, MR NOCKS SEABI.
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