Parliament - MPs on Friday took a significant step forward in launching an inquiry into whether national and provincial police management lied to them.
MPs adopted the terms of reference of a Parliamentary inquiry into the matter.
The inquiry, would look at whether police management, including provincial police commissioners, were truthful when they briefed Parliament’s portfolio committee on police on the controversial press statement they released on August 1 publicly backing national police commissioner Riah Phiyega.
On August 12, MPs blasted the commissioners for the statement, accusing them of overstepping their mandate and entering the political fray, and undermining President Jacob Zuma who, at the time, was considering instituting a board of inquiry into Phiyega’s fitness to hold office.
The police commissioners were made to eat humble pie and apologise for the statement, but not before denying to MPs that they were pressured or instructed by Phiyega to sign off on the statement.
MPs did not buy their denials and launched the inquiry.
The terms of reference include that the inquiry:
* Establish and consider whether the relevant officers were truthful with their testimony in presenting the facts leading up to the issuing of the said statement;
* Establish and consider whether the documents and electronic material made available to the committee to verify the statements made during the said committee meetings;
* Establish and consider whether the relevant statements were made in compliance with the National Instruction 156 (dealing with media communication within the police);
* Establish and consider whether the relevant conduct by the officers is in line with good governance principles;
* Establish and consider whether the relevant conduct prejudiced, embarrassed and discredited the SAPS (South African Police Service); and
* Establish and consider whether the said statements were aimed at influencing the process by the President in response to the recommendation of the Farlam Commisison in relation to the National Police Commissioner.
The inquiry would take place in October, and the provincial commissioners and Phiyega’s national deputies would be called to testify.
The MPs have already subpoenaed the electronic and paper trail which preceded the press statement by the commissioners.
The Farlam Commission of Inquiry recommended Phiyega face a board of inquiry into her fitness to hold office, after it criticised her decisions in the lead up to the Marikana massacre on August 16, 2012, when 34 miners were shot dead by police.
Last week, Zuma wrote to Phiyega informing her she would face a board of inquiry, and also asked her to make written submissions to him as to why she should not be placed on suspension pending the outcome of the inquiry.
The inquiry is to be conducted in terms of National Assembly rule 201.
ANA