Community Safety
The contents of a media article dated 30 April 2021 with the title “Law and disorder: City of Cape Town’s special investigation unit head charged in cop fraud case” raise a number of questions about the lawfulness or legitimacy of the City of Cape Town’s Special Investigation Unit (SIU):
(1) Whether he has conducted any enquiries into whether the City of Cape Town’s municipal police service complies with section 64E of the South African Police Service Act, 1995 (Act 68 of 1995); if so,
(2) whether the City of Cape Town’s municipal police service is, in all respects, operating within the policing legislation; if so, what are the relevant details; if not,
(3) whether he will be conducting an enquiry into the functions of the municipal police service performed or conducted by the City of Cape Town to assess that they comply with the relevant legislation; if so, what are the relevant details;
(4) whether he made any specific enquiry or conducted any investigation into the functions of the City of Cape Town’s SIU; if not, why not;
(5) given the media report, whether he will conduct an investigation or enquiry into the lawfulness of the City of Cape Town’s SIU and its functions; if so, what are the relevant details; if not,
(6) whether he has engaged with the Provincial Police Commissioner on the allegations against the SIU and its head and/or its functions; if so, what was the outcome;
(7) whether the City of Cape Town’s SIU conducted an investigation in 2016 into DA councillor candidates and produced a report on criminal convictions or criminal charges against some of them; if so, what are the relevant details;
(8) whether the SIU has been involved in any investigation for political purposes; if so, what are the relevant details;
(9) whether the SIU has been involved in any investigation that is outside the mandate of the municipal police service as provided for in the Act and/or the standards set by the national Police Commissioner; if so, what are the relevant details;
(10) what process was followed for the appointment of the arrested SIU head by the municipal police service to head the unit?
The Department receives quarterly reports from the Municipal Police Service in terms of section 21 of the Western Cape Community Safety Act, 3 of 2013, which it uses to monitor the conduct of the municipal police service.
(2) The Department receives quarterly reports from the Municipal Police Service in terms of section 21 of the Western Cape Community Safety Act, 3 of 2013, which it uses to monitor the conduct of the municipal police service.
(3) The Department receives quarterly reports from the Municipal Police Service in terms of section 21 of the Western Cape Community Safety Act, 3 of 2013, which it uses to monitor the conduct of the municipal police service.
(4) According to information received from the City of Cape Town, the SIU does not fall under the Municipal Police Service therefore the SIU is not within the oversight mandate of the Department of Community Safety.
(5) According to information received from the City of Cape Town, the SIU does not fall under the Municipal Police Service therefore the SIU is not within the oversight mandate of the Department of Community Safety.
(6) No, the Minister has not engaged with the Provincial Commissioner on this matter.
(7) This question should be directed to the City of Cape Town.
(8) This question should be directed to the City of Cape Town.
(9) This question should be directed to the City of Cape Town.
(10) This question should be directed to the City of Cape Town.
