Johannesburg – The Independent Police Investigating Directorate (Ipid) says it has referred 1 887 dockets to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for a decision after completing its investigations in the 2020/21 financial year.
“It can be observed that of 1 478 of referrals to the NPA the Ipid is still waiting for response, 369 declined to prosecute, 34 NPA prosecuted and six withdrawn,” reads the annual report.
The report was tabled in Parliament as part of the yearly reporting by the institution.
It also said the watchdog body made 2 173 recommendation to SAPS for referral. These comprised of 686 recommendations to discipline members and 1 487 recommendations where the Ipid recommended no disciplinary against the officers.
“Most of the cases referred were in respect with assault with 1 657 recommendations, followed by complaints of discharge of an official firearm with 178 cases and death as a result of police action with 146 cases.”
The report also said 108 recommendations were made to the metropolitan police services.
Of the recommendations, 16 were to discipline metropolitan police officers and 31 others had no recommendations for disciplinary action.
“Most of the cases referred were in respect with assault (24 cases), followed by death as a result of police action (10 cases) and by complaint of discharge of an official firearm (eight cases).”
The Ipid said a total of 31 were positive recommendations and no feedback was expected.
The report stated that a total number of 106 disciplinary convictions were reported.
The watchdog body also said it had not received progress reports on initiation of disciplinary steps for 341 recommendations.
“However, during engagements after year-end, SAPS provided evidence which confirmed 100% initiation of Ipid’s negative recommendations.”
It also said there were 141 disciplinary acquittals that were reported by the respective provinces during the period under review.
There were 24 criminal convictions that were reported and 22 criminal acquittals.
The report also said Ipid had conducted a total of 64 arrests which resulted in 87 SAPS members being arrested for various crimes.
“Some of the arrests were made by SAPS before Ipid investigators arrived at the crime scene or took over the investigation.”
It said there were a total of 803 cases that were on the court roll and 346 cases were closed during the period under review.
Ipid said most cases were closed as a decline with a total of 1 252 with at least 603 cases being in Western Cape, followed by Eastern Cape with 178 cases and Gauteng with 96 cases.
“The second most cases closed as undetected with a total of 670 cases and such cases were closed in the Western Cape with 146 cases, followed by Eastern Cape with 122 cases and Free State with 77 cases.”
Political Bureau