IPID calls for reform of anti-gang unit while SAPS blasted over probe into Kinnear killing
Cape Town - Parliamentarians have slammed the police’s top brass for dilly-dallying on the Independent Police Investigative Directorate’s (Ipid) recommendations into the killing of top detective Charl Kinnear.
Anti-Gang Unit detective Kinnear had been investigating high-risk cases when he was killed in front of his home in Bishop Lavis in 2020, prompting an Ipid probe into why he and his family had no protective detail.
Ipid recently tabled a classified version of the report, which police committee chairperson Tina Joemat-Pettersson ruled wouldn’t be discussed due to a lack of security clearance for MPs and the report being sent to her a few minutes before the committee proceedings.
Among other things, the version before Parliament recommends to the provincial police that seven cops be disciplined and criminally charged and “strongly recommends” that the AGU and its functionality be reformed.
Among other findings, the report found that Kinnear’s former commander, who has retired and whose name is withheld, failed to protect him, and that a senior AGU official was aware of a tip-off about a planned hit on Kinnear, but failed to act.
MPs on the police committee lambasted the slow progress in implementing the recommendations made by Ipid.
Joemat-Pettersson said the committee considered the “tardiness” in acting on the recommendations and in instituting further internal SAPS investigations undermines assurances of justice to the Kinnear family.
Meanwhile, the SAPS has decided to appoint a cop to probe misconduct allegations against its members and let them off the hook, which Joemat-Pettersson said was “disappointing”.
The committee welcomed the report, but said the critical question of who removed Kinnear’s protection, remained hanging.
“This matter will remain front and centre in the work of the committee in its effort to ensure that justice is served,” Joemat-Pettersson said.
soyiso.maliti@inl.co.za