ISS analyst Gareth Newham and M&G reporter Sarah Evans unpack the realities that lie beneath the numbers from this year's national crime statistics.
Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) director Robert McBride must brief Parliament on the investigation into national police commissioner Riah Phiyega, the DA said on Sunday.
“Given the severity of these allegations and her tarnished track record it is essential that Parliament get access to the recommendations made by the Ipid and whether or not the decision to not pursue charges against General Phiyega is indeed rational,” Democratic Alliance MP Dianne Kohler Barnard said in a statement.
“Someone with such a blemished track record must be thoroughly investigated and Parliament must exercise its oversight.”
She said Phiyega’s appointment had been disastrous from the onset.
The National Prosecuting Authority said it would not pursue complaints of defeating the ends of justice against Phiyega.
Spokesperson Nathi Mncube said Ipid had investigated the complaint made against Phiyega last year and made recommendations to National Director of Public Prosecutions Mxolisi Nxasana.
In October last year, the Ipid said it would investigate allegations that Phiyega had tipped off Western Cape commissioner Lieutenant-General Arno Lamoer about an investigation against him by crime intelligence.
According to reports, Phiyega told Lamoer on three occasions that she was aware he was under investigation.
The Sunday Independent at the time reported that their telephone conversations had been legally recorded by crime intelligence operatives monitoring Lamoer’s calls.
Phiyega denied tipping-off Lamoer.
Nxasana referred the docket to the Director Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape, advocate Rodney de Kock, to make a decision.
“Advocate De Kock has satisfied himself that the Ipid investigation is complete,” Mncube said.
Kohler-Barnard said the DA wanted McBride to report to the portfolio committee on police and make public the recommendations he made to the NPA.
If McBride refused, she said she would appeal to the committee’s chair Francois Beukman to summon the head of Ipid. – Sapa