Parliament’s portfolio committee on police plans to ask the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) to explain how they have followed the disciplinary recommendations in the 2023 declassified Phala Phala report.
The engagement is expected to take place after the current constituency period, with the meeting date to be communicated in due course.
Committee chair Ian Cameron told Sunday World that the failure to implement IPID recommendations is a longstanding issue and did not arise in the current parliament.
“We will, however, call on IPID and the SAPS to account in parliament for the implementation of the disciplinary recommendations, as that falls within our oversight mandate.
“That engagement will take place after the current constituency period, and the meeting will be communicated in due course,” he said.
The DA parliamentarian added that a key concern would be whether IPID faced any intimidation during the investigation.
“If IPID was subjected to any form of intimidation by the executive, parliament will address that with the full extent of its powers and mandate,” he said.
Bejani Chauke a person of interest
The report, which was released last week, details discrepancies in how the SAPS handled the matter and recommends disciplinary action against members of the Presidential Protection Service.
Major-General Wally Rhoode and Constable HH Rekhoto are singled out for their alleged involvement in a cover-up; however, no action has yet been taken against them.
Sunday World previously reported that IPID found that instead of opening a formal case, Rhoode and his associates conducted a parallel investigation outside the confines of the law.
Suspects were apprehended, interrogated, and, crucially, bribed to conceal the circumstances surrounding the theft of about R8-million in foreign currency.
The report also identifies Bejani Chauke, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s senior advisor, as another person of interest.
IPID found that Chauke travelled with Rhoode during parts of the operation and benefited from state resources despite not being authorised under SAPS VIP protection policies.
This comes amid calls by the African Transformation Movement (ATM) for the committee to summon IPID over the Phala Phala farm investigation report.
The request was made before the report was released.
DA is shielding Ramaphosa
ATM parliamentary leader Vuyo Zungula told Sunday World he believes Cameron is intentionally ignoring the request.
“The DA is part of the GNU [government of national unity], so it will protect Cyril Ramaphosa,” Zungula said.
“The DA used to accuse the ANC of shielding executive members; now they are doing the same.”
The party has been at the forefront of calls to hold Ramaphosa accountable since news broke of the 2020 burglary on his Phala Phala farm.
However, Cameron explained the delay in responding to Zungula’s request.
“The letter was received on March 3, and we did acknowledge receipt to the ATM,” Cameron said.
“The process was frustratingly delayed by the work of the ad hoc committee, which took a frustratingly long time and, in turn, forced the neglect of other parliamentary work.”
- Parliament’s portfolio committee on police will ask IPID and SAPS to explain how they have implemented disciplinary recommendations from the 2023 declassified Phala Phala report, with the meeting to be scheduled after the current constituency period.
- Committee chair Ian Cameron highlighted the longstanding failure to implement IPID recommendations and emphasized that parliament will also investigate any alleged intimidation of IPID by the executive.
- The report accuses Major-General Wally Rhoode and Constable HH Rekhoto of involvement in a cover-up related to the theft of about R8-million in foreign currency and identifies Bejani Chauke, President Ramaphosa’s senior advisor, as a person of interest.
- The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has called for IPID to be summoned over the investigation, a request they claim is being ignored by the DA, accusing it of protecting President Ramaphosa as part of the government of national unity.
- The DA, while having pushed for Ramaphosa’s accountability previously, cited delays caused by an ad hoc committee as the reason for the postponement in addressing the ATM’s request to summon IPID.
Parliament’s portfolio committee on police plans to ask the
Committee chair Ian Cameron told
“We will, however, call on IPID and the SAPS to account in parliament for the implementation of the disciplinary recommendations, as that falls within our oversight mandate.
"
“If IPID was subjected to any form of intimidation by the executive, parliament will address that with the full extent of its powers and mandate,” he said.
Major-General Wally Rhoode and Constable HH
Suspects were apprehended, interrogated, and, crucially, bribed to conceal the circumstances surrounding the theft of about R8-million in foreign currency.
IPID found that Chauke travelled with Rhoode during parts of the operation and benefited from state resources despite not being authorised under SAPS VIP protection policies.
ATM parliamentary leader Vuyo
“
"
However, Cameron explained the delay in responding to
“
"
