Farlam Commission recommendations a priority for police committee

16 August 2016

Cape Town - Ensuring the implementation of the Farlam Commission recommendations is one of the priorities of Parliament's police committee this term.

The committee had its first meeting on Tuesday, August 16, on the fourth anniversary of the Marikana massacre.

The commission, headed by the retired Judge Ian Farlam, investigated the deaths of 44 people during strike-related unrest at Lonmin's platinum mine in Marikana, Rustenburg, in August 2012.

The recommendations included an inquiry into the fitness to hold office of suspended national police commissioner Riah Phiyega, for the National Prosecuting Authority to investigate several of the killings, and whether police exceeded the bounds of self and private defence in shooting the strikers.

In a meeting to discuss the coming short term, the committee, led by chairperson Francois Beukman, said this would be one of its priorities.

Other essential items they would be looking at this term include the filling of vacancies and the budget of the Hawks, the central firearms registry turnaround strategy and the process of the release of the crime statistics in September.

The committee will also look at the Border Management Authority Bill, as well as other legislation.

The new term in Parliament started on August 15 and will end on September 23.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.