National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega has not been suspended, police minister Nathi Nhleko said on Wednesday.

While briefing journalists in Parliament, Nhleko would not be drawn on Phiyega’s future in the light of the report of the Farlam Commission of Inquiry into the 2012 Marikana massacre in which 34 miners were shot dead by police, which recommended she face a board of inquiry.

“You would know much as I do that the national commissioner has not been suspended and any decisions regarding the national commissioner rests with the President…,” said Nhleko.

“That process is governed by the South African Police Service Act of 1995.”

Last month, Zuma wrote to Phiyega to give her a chance to explain to him why she should not be suspended pending the outcome of a board of inquiry into her fitness to hold office.

Nhleko said plans were being put in place to ensure other recommendations from the Farlam commission were being implemented – including the establishment of a panel of experts to help the South African Police Service change the way it dealt with violent protests.

“It’s quite an urgent matter, a matter that has got to be driven with quite some speed to ensure that we secure both your local and international experts to come on board.”

The panel would be drawn from experts in policing and related areas, both locally and internationally.

Nhleko said he was currently speaking to experts in academia, non-governmental organisations and in policing to contribute to the panel.

Once the panel was established, it would be given 12 months to complete its work, and a further three months to write a report for the minister. A task team, which would work parallel to the panel, would drive the implementation of the panel’s recommendations.

Asked about the budget of the panel and task team, Nhleko estimated it would cost about one percent of the entire police budget of R76-billion.

“A percent of that is about R760-million. We probably need about that amount to be able to do this work in its staggered form of course,” he said.

Asked where the money will come from, Nhleko said it would either come from reprioritisation of the existing police budget, or National Treasury would be requested to assist.