Ipid says Amendment Act will help punish bad cops

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) said it has been empowered by the Ipid Amendment Act signed into law this week.

Directorate spokesperson, Lizzy Suping told The Citizen the act holds South African Police Service (Saps) members to account for their actions in ways the principal Ipid Act of 2011 did not.

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Ensuring bad cops are punished

“It holds heads of various police services accountable in the event that they fail to implement the Ipid disciplinary recommendations,” she said.

“The Act says that at the conclusion of the disciplinary process, they must submit a written report to the Minister of Police and provide a copy to Ipid. Furthermore, if Ipid is not happy with the sanction imposed on the officer for a transgression, Ipid can request the various police heads to review the sanction. The act also strengthens the independence of Ipid.”

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 The Act, signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday, does the latter by stating the directorate must be independent, impartial and must exercise its powers and functions without fear, favour or prejudice.

This amended law gives effect to an earlier Constitutional Court judgment in the McBride vs Minister of Police and Another matter which invalidated provisions in the Ipid Act that enabled the Minister of Police to take disciplinary measures against the executive director of Ipid without parliamentary oversight.

Keeping police in check for murder, rape

The law now empowers Ipid to investigate any deaths caused by the actions of a member of the Saps or a member of a municipal police service, whether such member was on or off duty.

Ipid is now enabled to investigate rape by a member of the Saps or a member of a municipal police service, whether such member was on or off duty.

The law also provides for a savings provision in the conditions of service of existing Ipid investigators and provincial heads.

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