President must widen terms of reference for Phiyega inquiry 

12 November 2015

President Zuma must now widen the terms of reference of the inquiry into suspended National Police Commissioner, Riah Phiyega, given the damning findings of the Ministerial Reference Group (MRG) that Phiyega is guilty of perjury, misconduct, fraud and misleading Parliament. 

Currently the inquiry into Phiyega is based solely on the recommendations of the Farlam Commission into the Marikana massacre. Yet the MRG, established by Police Minister Nathi Nhleko, into a wide range of issues now necessitates that Phiyega’s entire disastrous career be reviewed.

The MRG investigated complaints by managers of the SAPS of irregular promotions and suspensions, her decisions that resulted in fruitless and wasteful expenditure as well as Phiyega's tipping off of suspended Western Cape Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Lamoer, about an investigation into him.

The DA will again write to the President to urge him to now act in accordance with Section 84(2)(f) of the Constitution and be holistic in assessing the competencies and performance of Ms Phiyega and to assess her entire career as Police Commissioner. 

The DA also welcomes and supports the findings and recommendations of the report adopted yesterday by the Police Portfolio Committee at the conclusion of its Rule 201 inquiry. The inquiry probed a wide range of issues including the circumstances around the SAPS Board of Commissioners issuing a media statement declaring support for Phiyega, 

Her failings go far beyond the tragedy of Marikana and have directly contributed to the decline of the SAPS and compromised its ability to ensure that ordinary South Africans are safe and secure in their homes, workplaces and in public. 

It is little surprise that the SAPS on the ground is in the sorry state that it is when the senior management are distracted with side agendas instead of maintaining a laser focus on improved organisational management to make the police service more effective and professionalised.

Phiyega’s tenure as Police Commissioner has had direct implications for ordinary citizens but also for the SAPS officers on the ground, who are under-staffed, under-resourced, under-equipped and under-trained, and are left in the lurch by senior management.

The DA has long called for President Zuma to act against Phiyega on the basis of her multiple faults and failings, from an inability to turn the SAPS around into an efficient, effective and professional service that reduces crime, to her being embroiled in all manner of scandals. 

The DA wants a police service that is efficient and led by experienced and ethical senior management who will ensure that every police station has the personnel, vehicles, facilities, equipment and training it needs to combat crime.

We will continue to fight to ensure that the people of South Africa are provided with the police service they rightly deserve.

Issued by Zakhele Mbhele, DA Shadow Minister of Police, 12 November 2015