Acting Police Minister’s and National Commissioner’s Failure to Attend Meeting Undermines Accountability

 

he Portfolio Committee on Police resolved to adjourn its scheduled meeting with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Civilian Secretariat for Police, which was set to assess the 2024/25 annual report. This decision follows the absence from the meeting of both the acting Minister of Police and the National Commissioner.

The committee underscored that accountability and transparency are non-negotiable principles in a constitutional democracy, particularly given the serious challenges currently facing the SAPS and the persistently high crime rates affecting communities across the country.

“Accountability and openness are sacrosanct in a democratic institution. Without the executive authority and the accounting officer, it was impossible to interrogate the performance, both financial and against planned targets,” said Mr Ian Cameron, Chairperson of the committee.

The committee expressed its appreciation to the Office of the Auditor-General, which was present and prepared to engage in an in-depth discussion on SAPS’s performance. However, the committee maintained that proceeding without SAPS’s senior leadership would undermine its constitutional mandate of oversight.

Additionally, the committee voiced concern over procedural irregularities regarding apologies from the executive. The acting Minister’s apology failed to follow the standard protocol for official correspondence with the committee. More concerning was the absence of any apology or communication from the Director-General of the Civilian Secretariat for Police.

“What is even worse is that the Director-General of the Civilian Secretariat of Police did not even bother to submit an apology to the committee,” Mr Cameron emphasised.

The committee reiterated the importance of the Budget Review and Recommendations Report process as a vital oversight tool used to assess the efficient use of public funds and the achievement of departmental objectives.

It is on this basis that the committee resolved to adjourn the meeting, sending a clear and strong message: oversight cannot be ignored or undermined.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.