Community Safety
With reference to the reply to question 3 of 7 May 2021:
(1)(a) Under what legislation or regulations does the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), now referred to as the Safety and Security Investigations Unit (SSIU), derive its “investigative” powers or authority and (b) what does it investigate;
(2) how does he and his Department account for the unit’s role in the implementation of the provincially funded LEAP Plan or Western Cape Safety Plan if the unit is not part of the municipal police service;
(3) whether the SIU is subject to his or the provincial government’s oversight; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(4) whether he investigated or enquired about the lawfulness of the SIU; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(5) whether he enquired about the recent arrest of the head of the SIU, being the Chief of Specialised Investigation; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(6)(a) how many LEAP officers have been deployed as investigators, (b) who is the current command or head of the investigating unit, (c) how many LEAP officers are currently deployed in the City of Cape Town and (d) how many LEAP officers are peace officers with the powers assigned to them in terms of the Criminal Procedure Act Regulations?
(1)(a) The oversight mandate of the Minister is limited to the South African Police Service and the Cape Town Metro Police Department. The Minister is therefore not able to respond to the question and it should be directed to the City of Cape Town.
(b) The question should be directed to the City of Cape Town.
(2) The unit in question does not form part of the LEAP plan.
(3) No, the unit in question does not form part of provincial government’s oversight. The oversight function is limited to the South African Police Service and the Cape Town Metro Police Department.
(4) No investigation or enquiries were conducted as the Minister has no oversight mandate over the SIU.
(5) No enquiries were conducted as the Minister has no oversight mandate over the SIU.
(6)(a) No LEAP officers have been deployed as investigators.
(b) The question should be directed to the City of Cape Town.
(c) 529 LEAP officers are operationally deployed. An additional 296 members are busy with training.
(d) Peace officers’ training is part of the training programme of LEAP officers.
