Hon Speaker and hon members, the Portfolio Committee on Police considered the annual report of the Independent Complaints Directorate, ICD, for 2009 to 2010 on 16 November 2010. The ICD is a key role-player in achieving one of the central objectives of government, which is to reduce corruption in the Public Service and, in this respect, the ICD focuses on reducing police corruption and brutality within the SA Police Service, SAPS, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the Police Service.
The ICD has been going through a transitional period characterised by leadership and management problems. However, during the period under review, between 2009 and 2010, a new executive director was appointed and new management has subsequently continued to be appointed to bring fresh ideas and new energy to the Directorate.
Also, Parliament recently passed legislation providing a new focused mandate to the ICD, which would also assist it in delivering more effectively on those key priorities.
During 2009 and 2010, however, the ICD was still grappling with some key problems, which had been festering for a number of years. Key amongst these were problems with management of finances and assets. The ICD must be congratulated, though, on receiving its first unqualified audit report in five years, and that is during 2009 to 2010, even though the committee was concerned that there were still matters of emphasis including irregular expenditure. In both the 2010 and 2011 budgets, the focus has been on empowering the ICD to hire people and set up systems to improve financial management and co-operative governance to address these problems.
The committee was also concerned about underspending by the ICD in 2009 to 2010, which could probably be attributed to delays in relocation to the new national office and the call centre that was not initiated. The ICD moved into its new offices at the end of 2010, and thus the committee does not expect any more excuses with regard to underspending by the ICD in future years.
The key mandate of the ICD during the period under review, that is 2009-10, was to investigate deaths in police custody or as a result of police action, as well as criminal offences committed by the police. The committee has continually raised its concerns that although on paper the ICD performs relatively well, because its targets are set low, there is a high and growing backlog of cases. This was raised as a concern in respect of the 2009-10 annual report and was again raised yesterday by the committee in its interrogation of the strategic plan and budget for the ICD for 2011-12.
The ICD should begin to implement the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Bill as soon as it is promulgated, which should be early in this financial year. The committee expects that the new focus, as outlined in the Bill, will ensure that the ICD can increase and improve its performance in investigations of priority areas, increase its targets and substantially reduce its backlog. Expectations are high in this regard.
I hereby table the Portfolio Committee on Police report on the annual report of the ICD for adoption. I thank you. [Applause.]
There was no debate.
Speaker, I move:
That the Report be adopted.
Are there any objections?
Mr Speaker, it will be a pleasure for the DA to support such a clear and well-managed report. Thank you, sir. [Laughter.]
I take it that that long statement is yes. [Laughter.]
Could I elaborate, Mr Speaker? [Laughter.]
No, please take your seat.
Motion agreed to.
Report accordingly adopted.