Report into Phiyega’s fitness for office must be tabled in Parliament

The DA will write to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police, François Buekman, to urge that he request for the finalised report from the Claassen Inquiry into the fitness to hold office of the suspended National Police Commissioner, Riah Phiyega, to be tabled before Parliament.

Reports today indicate that the final report has been ready since 13 November 2016.

Section 8(6) of the SAPS Act states that:

“At the conclusion of the inquiry, the board shall submit its report to (i) the President; (ii) the Commissioner concerned; and (iii) the Parliamentary Committees.”

While the DA welcomes the finding that Phiyega is unfit for office, as we have long and consistently argued, we maintain that the terms of reference of the inquiry should have been widened to include all of Phiyega’s failings during her tenure so that the premise for arriving at this accurate conclusion was a comprehensive one. The DA made submissions last year to President Zuma to this effect.

Phiyega presided over the persistent and chronic decline of the SAPS and compromised its ability to ensure that ordinary South Africans are safe and secure in their homes, workplaces and on the streets.

Until South Africans are free from fear, they cannot reach their full potential and take advantage of the opportunities available to them.

It is now time that our police service is led by experienced and competent senior management with integrity who will ensure the safety of all South Africans by capacitating every police station with the personnel, vehicles, facilities, equipment and training they need to combat crime effectively.

Statement issued by Zakhele Mbhele MP, DA Shadow Minister of Police, 4 December 2016