Parliament’s police committee has set the ball rolling for an inquiry intended to get to the bottom of the unrest, looting and destruction of property that rocked the country in July.
According to the draft terms of reference presented to MPs on Tuesday, the inquiry led by the police committee in collaboration with the select committee on justice and security, will consider what information and intelligence was available to the security agencies before, during and after the violence. It will also seek to establish how the violence unfolded and was allowed to spread, despite the presence of the security agencies.
Parliament’s joint standing committee on intelligence also plans to hold an inquiry into the failures of intelligence services.
The deadly unrest, which mainly affected KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng after the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma, tarnished the country’s reputation and destroyed many businesses resulting in losses in excess of R50bn. More than 337 people lost their lives during the riots.
The government has been struggling to get to the bottom of the saga and to apprehend the instigators, with ministers contradicting each other and creating confusion in the process.
In July, police minister Bheki Cele denied that he had been provided with intelligence before the unrest. This contradicted claims by the then state security minister, Ayanda Dlodlo‚ who had earlier stated that intelligence structures were constantly providing the police with vital information for them to respond.
President Cyril Ramaphosa reshuffled his cabinet in the wake of the civil unrest, moving political responsibility for state security to his office.
Dlodlo was shifted to the public service & administration portfolio, while National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise replaced Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula as defence minister. The ANC nominated Mapisa-Nqakula to take up the position of National Assembly Speaker. Parliament is due to formally elect the new Speaker on Thursday.
According to the draft terms of reference of the police committee’s inquiry, MPs will seek to establish what leadership was given to all law enforcement agencies during the unfolding of the violence. It will also interrogate the levels of co-operation between law enforcement agencies and the challenges regarding co-operation before, during and after the unrest.
The inquiry may summon any person to appear before it to give evidence on oath or affirmation, or to produce documents; and receive petitions, representations or submissions from any interested persons or institutions.
The inquiry will also seek to establish what consequence management has been put in place and the lessons learnt.
It will also consider whether the violence was organised and what the role of the instigators and perpetrators were, what happened to them and whether they have been arrested and charged.
The police committee will deliberate further on the draft terms of reference in two weeks.
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