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independent POLICE INVESTIGATIVE DIRECTORATE BILL, Aims and Objectives of the Bill Briefing to the portfolio committee on police Tuesday, 3 August Committee Room V227, 2nd Floor, Old Assembly Wing Parliament
Presented by
FRANCOIS BEUKMAN
Executive Director - ICD
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2. The main objective of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Bill is to make provision for the establishment of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate to ensure effective independent oversight of the South African Police Service and the Municipal Police Services.
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3. Background
THE AIM OF THE BILL IS TO ENHANCE THE ROLE OF THE ICD, TO EMPOWER THE ICD TO PERFORM ITS FUNCTIONS AND TO REFOCUS ITS ROLE TO ENSURE THAT IT IS ABLE TO MEET ITS MANDATE.
The ICD currently has investigative powers in respect of –
Misconduct or offences allegedly committed by a member of the South African Police Service (SAPS) and Municipal Police Services (MPS);
Death in police custody or a result of police action; and
Any matter referred to the Directorate by the Minister or a member of the Executive Council.
The ICD submits its recommendations to the National Commissioner of Police and the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Concerns:
The ICD has no powers to ensure the implementation of its recommendations.
Concerns have been raised in Parliament regarding the broad focus of the ICD’s mandate and their inability to effectively implement this mandate.
Concerns have also been raised in relation to the ICD’s adequacy of powers when investigating cases.
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4. Current legislative framework
Constitution – Section 206(6)
The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, makes provision for the establishment of an independent complaints body in section 206(6) which stipulates that:
“[o]n receipt of a complaint lodged by a provincial executive, an independent police complaints body established by national legislation must investigate any alleged misconduct of, or offence committed by, a member of the police services in the province"
Chapter 10 of the SAPS Act
The current Independent Complaints Directorate (“ICD”) is established in terms of the South Police Service Act (Act 68 of 1995) that pre-dates the Constitution of the Republic, 1996.
To address concerns it is recommended that separate legislation to govern the role and functions of the ICD is necessary.
In determining the mandate of the ICD the focus is on the most important issues that the ICD should focus on in order to make a real impact.
The different, yet complementary role of the Secretariat is also taken in consideration.
In determining the mandate, the principle used is that the ICD should investigate those matters that will have a lasting impact on transforming the police.
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5. The Bill Envisages to –
Provide for the establishment of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate;
Regulate the functions of the Directorate;
Provide for the establishment of a Management Committee and Consultative Forum and their respective functions;
Provide for the appointment and powers of investigators;
Provide for transitional arrangements, repeal and amendment of certain laws and matters connected therewith; and
Provide for regulations to describe the operating procedures to be followed.
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6. Objectives of proposed legislation
Alignment with Constitution and PFMA
Independent functioning of Directorate : The Directorate will be independent from the police service and will report to the Cabinet member responsible for policing. The Directorate will ensure independent oversight of the South African Police Service and Municipal Police Services.
Effective functioning
Investigation of misconduct / offences committed by members
National / Provincial co-operation
Reporting functions
Financial accountability
Repeal and amendment of legislation
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7. Change in Name
The name of the ICD will be changed to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID). The rational of the name change is to rebrand the Directorate to focus on investigations rather than being merely a recipient of complaints.
The IPID will be an investigative driven organisation.
The thrust of the work of the Directorate is to address systemic problems within the police service.
The refocusing of the Directorate ensures that the police service operates within the norms and standards of the Constitution and ensures an ethos that promotes proper police conduct.
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8. Provisions of the Independent Police Investigative Bill
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9. Definitions Directorate Executive Director financial year fixed date99
Definitions
Directorate
Executive Director
financial year
fixed date
forum
investigator
Management Committee
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10. Definitions - cont MEC Minister organ of state provincial head
Public Finance Management Act
Public Service Act
Secretariat
Secretary
South African Police Service Act
this Act
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11. Establishment, Independence, Impartiality and Accountability
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (“Directorate”) is established
Structured at a national level with branches in the provinces
Functions independently from the SAPS
Each organ of state must assist the Directorate to—
maintain its independence and impartiality; and
perform its functions effectively
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12. National office National office is established
It is headed by the Executive Director
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13. Appointment of Executive Director
Appointed by the Minister
Process
The Minister must inform the Portfolio Committee of the name of the successful candidate.
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14. Appointment of Executive Director – cont
Person is appointed—
subject to the laws governing the public service; and
for a term (5 years), the appointment can be extended for another term, but not exceeding two consecutive terms.
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15. Appointment of Executive Director – cont
The Minister may appoint an acting Executive Director if—
the Executive Director is absent for a substantial period; or
the appointment of the Executive Director is pending
The Minister may remove the Executive Director from his or her office on account of—
misconduct;
ill health;
inability to perform the duties of that office effectively
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16. Responsibilities of Executive Director
The Executive Director
is the accounting officer of the Directorate;
must ensure that—
proper records of all financial transactions, assets and liabilities of the Directorate are kept;
annual financial statements in respect of the financial year in question are prepared and submitted to the Minister for approval; and
the financial affairs comply with the PFMA;
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17. Responsibilities of Executive Director – cont
is responsible for the appointment of the provincial heads of each province;
must appoint staff which is established in accordance with the Public Service Act
must direct that a register of declaration of interest by managers and investigators be kept in the prescribed form and manner
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18. Responsibilities of Executive Director – cont
must give guidelines with regard to training of staff on national and provincial level
may refer matters investigated by the Directorate under this Act to the National Prosecuting Authority for criminal prosecution
must provide strategic leadership to the Directorate
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19. Reporting to Minister The Executive Director must—
submit to the Minister a written report on the activities of the Directorate during that financial year
report on the activities of the Directorate to the Minister or Parliament when requested to do so by the Minister or Parliament
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20. Composition of national office
Members appointed by the Executive Director
Consist of—
Executive Director;
Corporate Services Unit;
Investigation and Information Management Unit; and
Legal Services Unit;
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21. Composition of national office – cont
Members appointed only if member has undergone a security screening investigation
The Executive Director must issue a certificate of appointment
A member may at any time be subjected to a further security screening
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22. Composition of national office – cont
The Executive Director may, after consultation with the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), withdraw a certificate if he or she obtains information which causes him or her to believe that the person in question—
could be a security risk; or
acted in any manner prejudicial to the objectives of the Directorate
If the certificate is withdrawn,
the person concerned is unfit to continue to hold such office; and
the person must be discharged from the Directorate
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23. Functions of national office
The functions of the national office are to—
give strategic leadership;
develop policy and implement it;
oversee and monitor performance at provincial level and intervene to rectify challenges where necessary;
gather, keep and analyse information in relation to investigations;
identify and review legislative needs and report on such matters to the Secretariat;
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24. Functions of national office – cont
do internal auditing;
provide administrative support;
strengthen the co-operative relationship between the Directorate and Secretariat;
report to a MEC on matters referred to the head of that provincial directorate by the MEC;
submit an annual report to the Minister and Parliament;
implement information measures to develop public awareness of the provisions of this Act; and
deal with any other matter referred to it by the Minister
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25. Reporting on cases
The Directorate must submit reports to the Secretariat on an ongoing basis on—
the finalisation of investigations; and
its findings and recommendations made.
The Secretariat must —
ensure that SAPS implements the recommendations made to it; and
provide the Executive Director with regular reports on an ongoing basis on steps taken by it to ensure compliance.
The Directorate and the Secretariat must meet at least four times a year on issues of common interest
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26. Delegations The Executive Director may delegate functions.
A delegation—
must be in writing and may be subject to any conditions or restrictions determined by the Executive Director;
does not prevent the exercise of any power of the Executive Director; and
may be withdrawn or amended by the Executive Director
There are powers, functions and duties listed in the Bill which may not be delegated
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27. Establishment and Composition of Management Committee
A management committee is established.
The Committee consists of—
the Executive Director (chairperson); and
the provincial head for each province
The Executive Director may invite any person not mentioned above to a meeting of the Committee
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28. Functions of Committee
The Committee is responsible for the following functions, namely:
To ensure co-ordination and alignment within each province regarding—
strategic and performance plans;
priorities, objectives and strategies across national and provincial levels;
adherence to financial requirements prescribed in terms of the PFMA; and
interaction between the various provincial directorates;
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29. Functions of Committee – cont
to identify any other matter of strategic importance within each province;
to discuss performance in the provision of services in order to detect failures and to initiate preventative or corrective action when necessary;
to raise matters of national interest; and
to ensure regular reporting on matters specific to the performance of the respective provincial directorate’s functions
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30. Meetings The Committee—
meets at least four times every year, at such time and place as the Executive Director may determine.
may determine its own procedure to follow at its meetings.
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31. Establishment and Composition of forum
A Consultative forum is established
The forum consists of—
the Executive Director and
the Secretary.
The Executive Director or Secretary may invite any person not mentioned in above to a meeting of the forum
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32. Functions of forum The functions of the forum are to–
facilitate closer cooperation between the Secretary and the Executive Director;
discuss trends, recommendations and implementation of the recommendations made; and
initiate special investigations
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33. Meetings The Secretary must—
convene the first meeting of the forum; and
preside at that meeting
The Secretary and the Executive Director must—
alternate as chairperson of the meetings.
meet at least four times a year on issues of common interest
The forum determines its own procedure and agenda for its meetings
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34. Provincial office and Provincial heads
Each provincial office is headed by a provincial head
Provincial head is appointed—
by the Executive Director
on a permanent basis on the level of Chief Director
in accordance with the laws governing the public service
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35. Provincial office and Provincial heads – cont
Provincial head must conclude a written performance agreement with the Executive Director—
within a reasonable time after the appointment; and
thereafter, annually
The performance agreement must include—
measurable performance objectives and targets that must be met, and must provide for the time-frames within which those performance objectives and targets must be met;
standards and procedures for evaluating performance and intervals for evaluation; and
the consequences of substandard performance
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36. Responsibilities of provincial head
Responsible for—
appointment and performance management of staff at provincial level;
facilitating investigation of cases and to perform any other function incidental to such investigations;
the control and monitoring of active cases;
reporting to the Executive Director on matters investigated;
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37. Responsibilities of provincial head – cont
facilitating cooperation between the provincial head and the provincial police secretariat;
reporting to the Executive Director on recommendations and finalisation of cases;
reporting to the Executive Director on the management of the provincial offices and finances;
ensuring adherence to guidelines issued by the national office relating to the investigation and management of cases by officials within the respective provincial offices;
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38. Responsibilities of provincial head – cont
keeping proper financial records in accordance with the prescribed norms and standards;
preparing financial statements for submission to the Executive Director within two months after the end of the financial year;
ensuring compliance with administrative guidelines issued by the Executive Director; and
managing the provincial office
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39. Appointment of investigators
Executive Director, in consultation with the provincial head, must appoint a fit and proper person as an investigator of the Directorate
A person appointed as an investigator—
must have at least a grade 12 certificate or, a relevant diploma or degree; and
must have knowledge and relevant experience of—
criminal investigation;
legal process;
human rights; or
any other relevant experience
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40. Appointment of investigators – cont
Subject to security screening investigation by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA)
The Executive Director or official so delegated by him or her must issue a certificate of appointment in respect of such person
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41. Appointment of investigators – cont
An investigator may at any time be subjected to further security screening
An investigator may be discharged on failure to conform to the security clearance prescripts
The investigator is given policing powers within three months after his or her appointment with the Directorate
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42. Remuneration and condition of service of investigator
The conditions of service, including the salary and must be on par with detectives in terms of the South African Police Service Act
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43. Functions and investigative powers
An investigator
may, subject to the control and direction of the Executive Director, exercise such powers and must perform such duties as are conferred or imposed upon him or her by or under this Act or any other law; and
must obey all lawful directions which he or she may from time to time receive from a person having the authority to give such directions under the Act
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44. Functions and investigative powers – cont
An investigator has the powers as provided for in the Criminal Procedure Act, which are bestowed upon a peace officer or a police official, relating to—
the investigation of offences;
the ascertainment of bodily features of an accused person;
the entry and search of premises;
the seizure and disposal of articles;
arrests;
the execution of warrants; and
the attendance of an accused person in court
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45. Functions and investigative powers – cont
An investigator may direct any person to—
submit an affidavit;
affirm a declaration;
appear before him or her to give evidence; or
produce any document in that person’s possession or under his or her control which has a bearing on the matter being investigated, and question such person thereon
An investigator or any person duly authorised thereto by him or her may request an explanation from any person whom he or she reasonably suspects of having information which has a bearing on a matter being or to be investigated
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46. Type of matters to be investigated
The Directorate must investigate—
any deaths in police custody, or deaths as a result of police actions;
rape by a police officer, whether the police officer is on or off duty;
rape of a detainee by other detainees while the detainee is in police custody;
any matter that is referred to it by the Minister or a MEC through the Executive Director;
any complaint of torture which is referred to it by a Station Commissioner, Magistrate, Judge, legal representative or the complainant in the case where the complainant is unrepresented; and
any other matter referred to it as a result of a decision of the Executive Director, or if so requested by the Minister, a MEC, or the Secretary as case may be.
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47. Type of matters to be investigated – cont
The Directorate may investigate matters relating to—
systemic corruption involving the police;
corruption matters within the police initiated by the Executive Director or referred to the Directorate by the Minister, a MEC or the Secretary, as the case may be; and
inefficiency of the police to carry out its duties
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48. Conflict of interest and disclosure of interest
No member of the Directorate
may conduct an investigation; or
render assistance
in respect of a matter which he or she has a financial or any other interest which might preclude him or her from exercising or performing his or her powers, duties and functions in an objective manner
If, during an investigation, it appears to a member of the Directorate that a matter concerns a financial or other interest of that member that member must—
immediately and fully disclose the fact and nature of that interest to the Executive Director; and
withdraw from any further involvement in that investigation
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49. Finances and accountability
The Directorate is financed from money appropriated by Parliament and donor funding
The Directorate is subject to the PFMA
The Executive Director—
is responsible for the accounting for money received or paid out for or on account of the office of the Directorate;
must keep necessary accounting and other related records; and
may exercise such powers and perform such duties as may from time to time be conferred upon or assigned to him or her, and in respect thereof be accountable to the Minister
The accounting records must be audited by the Auditor-General
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50. Annual Report
The Executive Director must prepare and submit to the Minister an annual report in the form prescribed by the Minister within five months after the end the financial year
The annual report must include the following documents:
The audited financial statements prepared in terms of this Act;
the Auditor-General’s report prepared in terms of this Act; and
a report on the activities of the Directorate undertaken during the year to which the audit relates
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51. Annual Report – cont
The Executive Director must submit an annual report to the Minister
The Minister must table a copy of the annual report financial statements and the audit report on those statements within one month after receipt thereof if Parliament is then in session, or, if Parliament is not then in session, within one month after the commencement of its next ensuing session
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52. General provisions, Offences and penalties
Regulations
The Minister may, after consultation with the Executive Director, make regulations regarding—
access and control of confidential information and records pertaining to investigations;
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53. General provisions, Offences and penalties – cont
the procedure to be followed—
when investigating matters referred to in section 25(1)(a), (b), (c) and (e) ;
when reporting on cases dealt with under this Act;
for referring, receiving, registering, processing and disposing of complaints;
when investigating criminal matters ;
initiating special investigations;
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54. General provisions, Offences and penalties – cont
the measures
for integrity testing of members of the Directorate as contemplated in section 27(1);
to ensure the confidentiality of information obtained as contemplated in section 27(3); and
in general, any ancillary or incidental matter that is necessary to prescribe for the proper implementation or administration of this Act
The regulations must be submitted to Parliament, while it is in session, for Parliamentary scrutiny at least one month before promulgation
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55. General provisions, Offences and penalties – cont
Transitional arrangements
Pending investigations to be finalised as if the Act has not been passed;
The Act will have no effect on the validity of any investigation or prosecution conducted, pending or under investigation by the ICD on or before the Act comes into effect; and
Remuneration, allowances and conditions of service : The SAPS Act will prevail if it is more favourable than those under the Act.
Amendment of laws
Repeal of laws
South African Police Service Act 69 of 1995 – Chapter 10
Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998 – Section 18
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