The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has formally submitted a Private Member’s Bill to Parliament seeking the abolition of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac), arguing that South Africa’s anti-corruption efforts would be better served by strengthening existing law enforcement institutions.
The party confirmed on Thursday that it had submitted the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption Abolition Bill, 2026, to Parliament’s Constitutional and Legal Services Office for processing in accordance with the procedures governing Private Members’ Legislative Proposals and Bills.
MKP spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu said the proposed legislation seeks to abolish Idac and reintegrate its investigative functions into the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks), while transferring its prosecutorial functions to the ordinary structures of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), with specialised anti-corruption capacity retained within those institutions.
Single chain rather parallel structures
“The MK Party believes that South Africa’s fight against corruption is best served by strong, properly resourced constitutional institutions operating within a single, accountable chain of investigation and prosecution, rather than through parallel structures.”
He added that the MKP would provide further details as the parliamentary process unfolds.
According to the draft Bill seen by Sunday World, the proposal aims to eliminate what it describes as the duplication of investigative and prosecutorial mandates and restore a unified chain of criminal investigation and prosecution under the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the NPA.
“The proposed legislation states that while corruption remains one of South Africa’s most serious challenges, there is no constitutional requirement for investigations and prosecutions to be conducted through a separate anti-corruption directorate outside the ordinary structures of government. Instead, the Bill argues that the Constitution already provides for the SAPS to investigate crime and the NPA to prosecute offenders, making a parallel institution unnecessary,” said MKP.
Similar approach with dissolution of Scorpions
The party said the Bill notes that Parliament previously adopted a similar approach in 2008 when it dissolved the Directorate of Special Operations, commonly known as the Scorpions, and transferred its functions to the Hawks.
The Bill further argues that while Idac was established by presidential proclamation in 2019 and later incorporated into law through the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Act of 2024, a legal foundation alone does not resolve concerns about institutional accountability.
“According to the memorandum accompanying the Bill, combining investigative and prosecutorial powers in a structure operating outside the normal chain of command creates accountability gaps that can undermine public oversight,” said the party in the drafted proposal.
MKP said the Bill emphasises that the proposed reform should not be interpreted as weakening South Africa’s anti-corruption efforts.
“To ensure continuity, the legislation proposes that all ongoing investigations, prosecutions, warrants, subpoenas, preservation orders and evidence obtained by Idac remain legally valid after the transition. No accused person would be permitted to challenge an investigation or prosecution solely because Idac has been abolished.
Protection of jobs
“The Bill also protects the employment conditions of all Idac personnel, providing that employees will be transferred either to the Hawks or the National Prosecuting Authority without any loss of remuneration, pension benefits, rank or years of service,” said the party in the submitted Bill.
The party said its position is not that corruption should go unaddressed.
“It is that corruption must be addressed through the ordinary constitutional machinery of the state, not through a parallel structure whose separateness from established command lines makes it harder to hold accountable when things go wrong.
“A single, unified chain, from Hawks investigation through to NPA prosecution, closes the very gaps that parallel structures are prone to create. It also ensures that any individual investigated is investigated by an institution that is answerable through the normal channels of parliamentary and executive oversight,” reads the Bill.
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- The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) submitted a Private Member's Bill to abolish the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac), proposing its functions be merged into the Hawks and National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
- MKP argues that anti-corruption efforts are better served by unified law enforcement structures within a single chain of accountability, rather than parallel bodies.
- The Bill references the 2008 dissolution of the Scorpions and asserts no constitutional requirement exists for a separate anti-corruption directorate like Idac.
- It ensures continuity by validating ongoing Idac cases and protects employment conditions of Idac personnel during the transition.
- MKP emphasizes maintaining strong anti-corruption efforts through established constitutional institutions to improve accountability and public oversight.
