City’s special investigations unit slammed

THE City’s special investigations unit received a scathing attack from members of the portfolio committee on police, with some questioning its legality and calling for its disbandment for operating outside the regulation of the law. These comments were made during a briefing by the metro police service (MPS) on its relationship with the SAPS.

There was a debate on the distinction of duties between the SAPS and the MPS, on various issues surrounding the collaboration between the SAPS and the MPS, and the lines of authority, including those of the specialised units established by the MPS. According to the minutes from the briefing, metro police chief Wayne le Roux said: “The unit with the mayor has nothing to do with the City of Cape Town’s MPS.”

In response, committee member for the ANC Leonard Ramatlakane said: “The response that reviews would be done on the developmental and functional matters of MPS in a bid to have it regulated was not correct as what was illegal had to be disbanded.

“The Cape Town MPS said the unit of the mayor has no dealings with the Cape Town MPS, but there must be a clarification of the party in charge of security from this unit.

If it is not part of the MPS, then it is outside the regulation of the law, is doing something illegal and should be disbanded.”

Jerome Maake of the ANC said the data intelligence unit must be disbanded because its personnel have broken the law.

The SIU, headed by safety and security Mayco member JP Smith, was at the centre of a spat that erupted between him and former mayor Patricia de Lille. She had moved to clip the wings of the unit, saying it was usurping the work of the police and was unnecessarily looking into the affairs of councillors.

De Lille said she felt vindicated in her decision to disband the SIU which was conducting investigations into councillors. “I wrote to thenCity manager saying this unit was illegal and to Western Cape police commissioner Khombinkosi Jula, who confirmed this unit was operating illegally.

The City’s Safety and Security executive director Richard Bosman said: “The unit is not illegal and operates internally within City’s Safety and Security Directorate. Members of the committee were debating and sharing opinions on the matter – there are no decisions of a court of law as to the legality of the unit.”