SAPS and police directorate to rework conflicting figures

THE POLICE and the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) are going back to the drawing board this week to resolve differences on the number of officers probed for ill-discipline.

Police received a tongue lashing from Parliament for submitting figures that conflicted with Ipid’s. They told the portfolio committee on police last week that they had received 764 cases from Ipid last year and acted on 85 percent of them.

On the other hand, Ipid told MPs it had referred 788 cases to the police, which took action on only 15 percent of them.

The correct number of officers investigated for wrongdoing will top the agenda when the two parties meet on Wednesday.

Police spokesman Lieutenant-General Solomon Makgale said yesterday they would be able to come to a common position on the facts and figures.

He said the SAPS had signed a memorandum of understanding with Ipid, which would set the tone for working together more closely.

“What we need to define is how we are going to work in terms of what the act says,” said Makgale. He said the police watchdog was key to how the police functioned.

“We work on a premise that Ipid is essential management of discipline in the police. We do what we do to make Ipid strong,” Makgale said. “From where we sit, on the issues on the table, we will be able to resolve them in time for the parliamentary meeting.”

The portfolio committee has given the two parties until January to resolve the differences.

Committee chairman Francois Beukman had told the two sides it was in the interest of Parliament to know exactly how many police officers were facing disciplinary action last year due to misconduct.

He said it did not help that Ipid would have its own figure of 788 officers that it had investigated while the police produced a list of 764.

In addition, Ipid said only 15 percent of the cases were dealt with, in contrast to the police’s statement that it disposed of 85 percent.

Makgale said the issues should be resolved in Wednesday’s meeting.

He said the police were confident they would be able to reach consensus before they return to Parliament at the end of January and produce a report that contained similar statistics.