Parliament - A panel of experts was to be assembled before year-end to start the process of changing the way the South African police dealt with restoring order during violent protests, police minister Nathi Nhleko told MPs on Wednesday.
Briefing Parliament’s portfolio committee on police on the recommendations of the Farlam commission of inquiry into the 2012 Marikana killings, Nhleko chose to remain silent on the future of national police commissioner Riah Phiyega who faces a board of inquiry into her fitness to hold office.
However, Nhleko outlined the steps he’s taken to ensure other recommendations from the commission were implemented, including the appointment of the panel of experts and a task team to drive transformation in the police service.
“This is a very urgent matter - extremely so. The recommendations of the judicial commision of inquriy for an example I don’t think it’s something we can think about… it can’t be,” he said.
“It’s a very urgent matter because it’s a matter that has engaged… the psyche of the South African society for an example.”
The panel would be drawn from experts in policing and related areas, both locally and internationally.
Nhleko said he was currently speaking to experts in academia, non-governmental organisations and in policing to contribute to the panel.
Once the panel was established, it would be given 12 months to complete its work, and a further three months to write a report for the minister. A task team, which would work parallel to the panel, would drive the implementation of the panel’s recommendations.
“The panel of experts - it has got to exist for 12 months, so within the 12-month period we expect that such panel would have looked into all the various aspects raised in the recommendations of the Farlam commission,” he said.
“What will take a little longer is the transformation task team [which will work] for a period of 3 to 5 years. That’s where your programme design will take place.”
The panel would have to give input to police on various issues, including the culture of the police service and its members, the structure of the SA Police Service (SAPS), financing, ICT infrastructure, legislation, policy, and regulation.
ANA