Ipid amendment bill adopted

THE National Assembly has adopted the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Amendment Bill aimed at curbing political influence in the removal and suspension of the police oversight body’s executive directors.

The bill, if passed into law, will require a two-thirds majority in the Assembly to suspend the Ipid head.

Police portfolio committee chairperson Francois Beukman said: “The bill has now been adopted and supported by all the political parties. We welcome the fact that the bill has been approved. This means we have complied with the Constitutional Court’s deadline.”

The amendments to the Ipid Act follow a 2017 Consti- tutional Court ruling directing Parliament to amend the legislation as it gave the police minister too much power to suspend or remove the head of the police watchdog.

In 2015, then police minister Nathi Nhleko suspended and removed Ipid head Robert McBride, who approached the Concourt, challenging the constitutionality of the clause in the act authorising the minister to remove him.

The court declared the provisions unconstitutional and ordered Parliament to align with the Constitution.

The bill aims to afford the body greater independence from the police minister.

Beukman said the committee was confident that the amendments satisfied the Concourt ruling.