SAPS, IPID, CSPS and PSIRA Budgets: Committee Reports

Meeting report

The Chairperson said that she would need to chair the meeting when the Committee did the clause-by-clause deliberation on the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedure) Amendment Bill, 2021. Due to load-shedding and the unstable network, she proposed that the Committee should do the clause-by-clause deliberation on Friday.

The Members agreed to do the clause-by-clause deliberation of the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedure) Amendment Bill on Friday, 6 May.

The Chairperson noted an apology from Dr P Groenewald (FF+). Ms Z Majozi (IFP) and Ms S Patrein (ANC) were on maternity leave.

Adoption of Committee Budget Reports

Mr O Terblanche (DA) referred to the Committee’s observations on the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) Budget Report, particularly on the backlog of cases. He suggested that the report should clearly indicate that it was a growing backlog.

Ms G Marekwa (ANC) referred to the Committee’s recommendations on the Budget Reports and suggested that the South African Police Service (SAPS) should submit a response not only on how the hotspot provinces were identified, but should also specify the police stations within the provinces that were crime hotspots.

The Committee’s Budget Reports for the SAPS, the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service (CSPS), IPID and the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) were considered and adopted. The DA, EFF and ACDP reserved their rights concerning the adoption of the reports.

Adoption of minutes

The Committee considered and adopted its minutes of 20 and 22 April.

Allegation in social media

Mr Terblanche said that he was concerned that social media was flooded with very serious allegations about the top management of the police, and Members of the Committee had also received emails about this issue. It was alleged that Lt Gen Dineo Ntshiea was not a South African citizen, and that she had cloned a South African citizen's identity that had allowed her to get appointed and promoted within the SAPS to a senior position. A further allegation was that she had also appointed other people on the same basis. If this was true, this was a scandal that could not be tolerated. He suggested that the SAPS should investigate and give a response on this as a matter of urgency.

The Chairperson replied that she had taken note of the concern and had sent a request from the Committee that had been referred to IPID for investigation. She had taken a legal opinion on this matter, which indicated that the SAPS could not investigate itself. She had requested that IPID prioritise this matter so that the Committee would receive a response as soon as possible.

Mr Terblanche agreed that IPID was responsible for the investigations, but the SAPS was also responsible for the appointment of its personnel. He suggested that the SAPS could respond to the processes that they had followed in the meantime because it was a very senior official who must have been vetted. If she had been vetted, the SAPS should have picked up this information.

The Chairperson said that the Minister, Deputy Minister, National Commissioner, Chairperson and the Committee’s Whip had met and were prioritising this matter. She added that the matter involving Adv Malesela Teffo had also been prioritised.

Mr Terblanche suggested that the Committee also note what Chief Justice Raymond Zondo had said about the Adv Teffo matter.

The Chairperson agreed that the Chief Justice had also commented on the Adv Teffo matter, and the Committee would take these comments into serious consideration when it was discussed. The Committee was dealing with these matters at a very high level. The Adv Teffo matter had been ongoing, and there had been a long debate between the Committee and the SAPS. Civil society had also been writing letters to the Committee. It was a matter that the Committee was seized with.

Closing remarks

The Chairperson requested that Members inform her if they had any amendments they would like to propose for the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedure) Amendment Bill, 2021. The Committee would do the clause-by-clause deliberation of the Bill on Friday.

Mr Terblanche asked if any criminal case was proceeding against the former National Commissioner. He recalled that there had also been two Deputy National Commissioners, and one had since resigned, and questioned if the current National Commissioner had considered possible action against the deputies, or the remaining deputy, regarding the allegations.

The Chairperson replied that she would look into how the Committee could address those matters.

She said she was in direct contact with the Minister of the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) and the State Information Technology Agency (SITA) office to arrange a meeting as soon as possible.

The meeting was adjourned.