Chairperson, firstly, I must state that I am not a member of this portfolio committee. The IFP's member of the committee is Mr V B Ndlovu, but I am standing in on his behalf and on behalf of the IFP. The party supports this Bill.
The Civilian Secretariat for Police Service Bill is another landmark Bill that seeks to entrench and enhance the supervision and oversight of our Police Service. Our constitutional dispensation demands that the civilian secretariat be established and, therefore, this Bill is an imperative within our democracy.
The Police Service is not autonomous or above the law and must be held to account for any actions which go beyond the limits of reasonable law enforcement.
The controversial "shoot-to-kill" comments made by senior police personnel must not be allowed to engender a culture within the Police Service which sees police officers placing themselves above the law.
Corruption, which is currently rife at many of our police stations, must also be addressed and stamped out as a matter of urgency, and the establishment of the civilian secretariat will assist in this regard by adding more muscle to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate.
In addition, the civilian secretariat has the very important role of advising and supporting the Minister of Police in the exercise of his powers and functions, and with seasoned professionals assuming the seats of the secretariat's three chief directors, we expect an overall improvement in policing services within South Africa. The IFP fully supports the Bill. I thank you. [Applause.]