The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of Police, Mr Francois Beukman, has said that the legislative framework of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) must be strengthened to ensure that the institution can fulfil effective oversight over the South African Police Service and the municipal police services.

This comes as the tabling of the Committee report in the National Assembly is due to facilitate the process to amend the Ipid Act. The Constitutional Court ordered that the Act be amended by 5 September 2018.

Mr Beukman explained that the committee’s unanimous decision to proceed with a committee Bill is due to the department’s slow progress in finalising the executive process to deal with the Bill.

“As the oversight committee, we need to ensure that the relevant changes are effected to ensure that Ipid can play its oversight role effectively and that the executive director can execute his/her duties in line with the constitutional imperative of an independent oversight body,” Mr Beukman said.  

The committee will await the Speaker’s decision on the scheduling of the report in the National Assembly.   
 

Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, Francois Beukman