President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday signed into law the Independent Police Investigative Directorate Amendment Bill, which empowers the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) to investigate serious alleged offences committed by police officers.

The law now empowers IPID to investigate any deaths caused by the actions of a member of the South African Police Service (Saps) or a member of a municipal police service, whether such member was on or off duty.

“IPID is enabled to investigate rape by a member of the Saps or a member of a municipal police service, whether such member was on or off duty. The law also provides for a savings provision in the conditions of service of existing IPID investigators and provincial heads,” said spokesperson to the President Vincent Magwenya.

The Bill entrenches the institutional and operational independence of IPID and makes it clear that the directorate must be independent, impartial and must exercise its powers and functions without fear, favour or prejudice.

Magwenya explained that the newly enacted Independent Police Investigative Directorate Amendment Act was an outcome of a comprehensive review of the principal IPID Act of 2011 initiated by the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service.

“The Civilian Secretariat provides the Minister of Police with policy advice and research support; develops departmental policy; provides civilian oversight of the South African Police Service and mobilises stakeholders outside the department around crime prevention and policing matters,” he said.

He explained that this amended law gave effect to an earlier Constitutional Court judgment in the McBride v Minister of Police and Another matter which invalidated provisions in the IPID Act that enabled the Minister of Police to take disciplinary measures against the Executive Director of IPID without parliamentary oversight.

He noted that the updated legislation amends provisions relating to the appointment of the executive director of IPID and broadens the executive director’s responsibilities relating to the referral of recommendations on disciplinary matters.

Magwenya highlighted that the amendment Act provided for pre-employment security screening investigations to be conducted by the directorate.