Portfolio Committee on Police chairperson Ian Cameron will be writing to Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and South African Police Services (Saps) National Commissioner general Fannie Masemola for answers on the apparent decision to shut down the Inspectorate Analysis Centre and Service Complaints.

Cameron expressed grave concerns, arguing that in a country with underperforming police stations, there was no logical explanation or rationale for the closure.

“The closure of this critical component is both pointless and against the spirit of accountability and Batho Pele that assures the people of quality government services. Also, a democratic country like South Africa is dependent on strong checks and balances within and outside any institution and closing this component will rob the country of critical checks and balances required to ensure quality service delivery,” he said.

He warned that the decision would “weaken accountability” and further compromise the “already poor accountability framework within the Saps”.

“To an institution that has a serious trust deficit, its closure will further erode the low faith that the people have in the police,” he added.

Cameron noted that the closure would inevitably ultimately diminish the possibilities of reducing the flow of complaints against the police.

“Moreover, the Criminal Justice System project highlighted the centrality of data-driven policing. The component was intended to investigate cases individually and aggregate all complaints with a view to identify trends through analysis, of which the findings are then utilised to inform management to effect corrective action. This will undermine the intention to data-driven policing and will not add value,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said it wanted Mchunu and Masemola to appear before the Portfolio Committee on Police to explain this “drastic and inexplicable move”.

DA deputy spokesperson on Police Lisa Schickerling said the Portfolio Committee on Police had not been informed of the Saps' intention to close this crucial organ.

“…it is unthinkable that such a fateful decision would be made without informing or consulting members of Parliament tasked with overseeing the entity,” she said.

She pointed out that the National Inspectorate played a critical role in upholding public trust and accountability within Saps, and it served to hold police officers and management to account for their actions while in uniform.

“It is a pivotal component in Saps’ drive to foster public trust and confidence, maintain oversight and transparency into inefficiencies and misconduct, and ensure adequate resourcing of Saps stations. Its disciplinary functions are aimed at combatting internal misconduct and recommending remedial action,” said Schickerling.

She pointed out that the reported decision to close this vital component of the Saps threatened to “undermine” crucial efforts at police reform at a critical juncture for the country’s law enforcement agencies.

Mchunu's office told Polity.org.za that "The Minister notes the article and its contents but has no comment on the matter.”