Mevrou die Voorsitter, die Direktoraat: Spesiale Operasies en die SAPD wysigingswetsontwerp het veral twee groot leemtes. Die eerste ernstige beswaar is dat die wysigingswetsontwerp die bepaling in artikel 179 van die Grondwet aan bande l ingevolge waarvan die Direkteur van Openbare Vervolging se bevoegdheid om enige funksie te verrig om strafregtelike stappe in te stel gereguleer word.
Die wetsontwerp verplaas nou die ondersoekfunksie na die SAPD, wat onder die gesag van die Minister van Veiligheid en Sekuriteit staan, en die Minister is weer onder die gesag en die sweep van die ANC se Polokwane heilige koei. [Tussenwerpsels.]
Die afskaffing van die DSO is 'n ernstige terugwaartse stap in die stryd teen georganiseerde misdaad en korrupsie. Die DSO het ontwikkel in 'n gedugte eenheid wat hierdie klas misdrywe ondersoek het. Die afskaffing gaan 'n ernstige leemte laat en dit word gedoen bloot omdat die DSO sonder vrees, vooroordeel of begunstiging ondersoek ingestel het na, onder andere, senior politici, polisie-amptenare, LP's en die sakemanne met wie hulle in 'n noue verbintenis was. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraphs follows.)
[Dr F J VAN HEERDEN: Madam Chair, the Directorate of Special Operations and the SAPS amending Bill have two major deficiencies in particular. The first serious objection is that the amending Bill restricts the provision in section 179 of the Constitution, whereby the power of the Director of Public Prosecutions to fulfil any task in instituting criminal charges, is regulated.
The Bill shifts the task of investigating to the SAPS, which falls under the authority of the Minister of Safety and Security, who in turn acts under the authority and the whip of the ANC's holy cow in Polokwane. [Interjections.]
The abolition of the DSO is a serious step backwards in the fight against organised crime and corruption. The DSO evolved into a formidable unit which investigated these types of crimes. The abolition thereof will leave a serious vacuum, and this is done simply because the DSO investigated, amongst others, senior politicians, police officials, MPs and the businessmen who were in close alliances with them without fear, favour or prejudice.]
Madam Chair, there is a second major objection and that is that it is a sad day for South Africa's reputation as cosignatory to several international agreements such as the UN Convention against Corruption, the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and the AU Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption. All these treaties enjoy international support and require specialised anticorruption units that must be absolutely independent.
We now no longer have that independence. This independence is now gone and South Africa's credibility to stick to its treaty obligations, to keep independent units in place, and to combat corruption will now be history. But I can understand that; there is nothing wrong with the police, the police do good work, let's grant them that and I accept that. But the DSO also did very, very good work.
You see, the problem was that the profile of the DSO was too high for the liking of certain people and they had the courage to investigate certain people and that the ANC didn't like.
We are now in the process of approaching the election. There is also a case that apparently deals with the registration of Cope's name. I think that the ANC must also change their name, from the African National Congress to the African National Cover-up, and that will more or less sum up the whole process! Thank you. [Laughter.] [Applause.]