KZN Hawks “lacking capacity” in dealing with corruption
Media Watch – 29.08.2019
KZN Hawks “lacking capacity” in dealing with corruption
I recently came across an article that mentioned that the KZN Hawks are “lacking capacity” and I wanted to bring it to your attention because we all know the extremely high volume of cases being dealt with. These serious priority level cases take a significant amount of dedicated time and resources to investigate, often involving 12 to 36 months of investigative work (gathering of evidence and facts to present in court, forensics taking time to process, witness and suspect interviews, etc., to produce a solid case increasing the chance of conviction) before even considering the arrest of suspects. Well, I think even a first world country would struggle with this.
This is the exact reason why working together is so critical in answering Government’s call to community action and building capacity and valued support that delivers results and helps SAPS, the Hawks, CI and NPA. We see daily how teamwork produces the most incredible results, especially when looking at the murder, CIT and drug arrests.
I also fully understand why any priority crimes are on a “need to know” basis. We need to get behind the IO’s and support where we can from all sectors of the community. Trust is a big issue because these are big cases, but man, I can tell you when you solve them and have contributed your 1%, it’s just so humbling to know that you have really made an impact.
Well done to all the IO’s. Of course there are frustrations, hard, long hours and cold nights in the field, and to believe the opposite is unrealistic. Don’t hesitate to reach out because we are NOT short on resources in South Africa – that is simply a much-repeated falsehood; we are simply short on knowing one another and knowing who to trust. Getting the blend of private/public partnerships right and fully understanding and embracing the words “common cause” will greatly benefit the cause.
Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi: firm salute Sir, I agree with you… and thank you to all Commanders and members for the incredible teamwork and results under the most trying hard times, that only the really tough can achieve. If there is anything we at Together SA CAN can do to help, please let us know.
Brian Jones (SA7)
Brian’s Passionate Desk
Brian@BriansPD.World
http://bpd.trackbox.world
https://t.me/BriansPD
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) was established as an independent directorate within the South African Police Service in terms of Section 17C of the South African Police Service Act, 1995 as amended by the South African Police Service Amendment Act, 2008 (Act 57 of 2008). This unit is responsible for the combating, investigation and prevention of national priority crimes such as serious organised crime, serious commercial crime and serious corruption.
Authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 20 March this year, the directorate was tasked to investigate “serious, high-profile and complex corruption” cases including incidents involving the South African Revenue Service, State Capture and the Public Investment Corporation.
However recent reports claim that the Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal are under-resourced and have a diminished capacity to deal with the number of fraud and corruption cases in the eThekwini Municipal area. Some cases date back a few years, and some have not even been touched; but the investigators are not to blame as it is simply a matter of resources.
In contrast to this, the Hawks’ national spokesperson, Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, said: “We do not have any challenges, and the work is going on unhindered from any internal challenges, as is being claimed.”
According to DA caucus leader Nicole Graham there is a need for more transparency and oversight. “There’s absolutely no oversight. Unless the information is leaked to us, we are unable to track or follow up on cases,” she pointed out.
Another issue is the overlapping of the work of the Hawks and the newly established ID (Investigative Directorate) which is a part of the NPA and is accountable to the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP). Current indications are that both organisations recognise that tackling corruption will depend on constructive relationships between them both.
Let us hope that this collaboration will work, as the results achieved by the Hawks thus far have made a huge dent in the rampant crime and corruption prevalent in South Africa.
SOURCES:
1. Chris Ndaliso, Hawks investigators ‘can’t cope’ with amount of corruption claims in eThekwini, 27.08.2019, https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/news/kwazulu-natal/hawks- investigators-cant-cope-with-amount-of-corruption-claims-in-ethekwini-31324245
2. Hawks, Directorate For Priority Crime Investigation, https://www.saps.gov.za/dpci/index.php (accessed 27.08.2019)
3. David Bruce, Time to boost the Hawks’ anti-corruption capacity, 21.08.2019, https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-08-21-time-to-boost-the-hawks-anti- corruption-capacity/
4. Independent Police Investigative Directorate, http://www.ipid.gov.za/ (accessed 27.08.2019)