DA calls for parliamentary inquiry into alleged purges at IPID
6 September 2015
I will today write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Francois Beukman to request that the Acting Head of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), Israel Kgamanyane, brief Parliament on the recent reports of purges taking place in IPID.
These allegations were reported last week, following the judgement from the Labour Court in Johannesburg which ruled that the Acting Head of IPID, Israel Kgamanyane, would not be able to take action against three senior managers accused of leaking information.
The real victims of the alleged internal wrangling and witch-hunts in IPID will be the South African public – notably those in poorer communities – who rely on the unit to ensure accountability for police criminality and abuses.
This current instability, caused by senior appointments made irregularly and which has all the hallmarks of political interference, threatens to derail the progress that the IPID has made towards being more professional and capable, as required by the National Development Plan.
Parliament must be briefed by IPID as to what measures are being taken to address the purges and what steps will be taken to ensure the entity remains stable in order to effect its task of independent oversight over the South African Police Service.
The IPID had a shaky start and was mired in systemic stagnation for the whole of last year while it hobbled along due to severe capacity constraints. By the start of the 2015/16 financial year, the department was in better shape and seemed well on its way to being a stronger and more capable entity.
The disruptions in organisational management and performance that the reported purges will cause will only result in slower investigations into police misconduct and criminality which is not a fair deal for thousands of our citizens who need a well-functioning IPID to help them get justice after incidents of police assault and other abuses of power.
Statement issued by Zakhele Mbhele MP, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Police, September 6 2015
