Pretoria – Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has appealed to all South Africans -- including members of the media, social and policing commentators as well as leaders of political parties -- to give the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) space and time to conduct its investigation.
This comes after the IPID announced its decision to investigate allegations that National Police Commissioner, General Riah Phiyega, attempted to defeat the ends of justice.
The matter relates to claims that Phiyega alerted Western Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Arno Lamoer, to an enquiry of alleged corruption against him by the Hawks.
However, Phiyega has since confirmed that she did not initiate a conversation with Lamoer with regard to these allegations, but that the conversation arose as a result of a question by a Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament.
“The department is obliged to reply to such questions. Furthermore, the National Commissioner can confirm that she became aware of the enquiry into Lt Gen Lamoer on 29 May 2013 after receiving a briefing from the Hawks.
“An enquiry is an assessment done by the Hawks to establish if there is prima facie evidence to warrant a full investigation prior to opening a docket,” the South African Police Service (SAPS) said on Tuesday.
The Head of the Hawks, Lt Gen Anwar Dramat, at the time indicated that the enquiry was initiated at Lamoer’s behest in July 2012, meaning that Lamoer has always been aware of the enquiry.
SAPS said this enquiry, however, was never public knowledge, hence Lamoer's “surprise when he found out that a political party was aware of such a matter”.
There have been calls from certain quarters, asking Mthethwa to suspend Phiyega.
The minister said the IPID must be given room and time to conduct its investigation.
“It needs to be further noted that once this investigation is completed, it will be sent to the minister with recommendations. He will then pronounce on the way forward,” said Mthethwa’s spokesperson Zweli Mnisi on Wednesday.
Mnisi said that when the Ministry of Police took the decision to change the focus and mandate of the then Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) to become the IPID, it sought to establish and put in place mechanisms which would ensure that the rule of law is observed, even by police themselves.
“It is therefore important to allow IPID an opportunity to do their work without undue interference because such a mandate, which is to police the police, is provided for in the IPID Act,” said Mnisi. – SAnews.gov.za
