'Scorpions must stay put'

2005-10-10 16:43

Pretoria - Continued independence of the Scorpions is critical in the fight against crime, the DA told the Khampepe Commission in Pretoria on Monday.

"Existing problems should be dealt with on a case by case basis, not by simply throwing the baby out with the bath water," said DA spokesperson for justice Sheila Camerer.

She told the commission that tension between law enforcement agencies could be traced back to executive failure by the co-ordinating ministerial committee.

The committee had only met six times in 16 months and didn't meet once for the preceding four years.

"By that time it was too late to sort out any problems," she said.

Camerer told the commission that the elite crime busting unit strengthened the fight against crime, having achieved a conviction rate higher than 90% in comparison to an eight percent conviction rate by the police serious and violent crimes units.

Crime level has dropped sufficiently

The commission headed by Judge Sisi Khampepe is deciding whether the Scorpions should be incorporated into the SAPS or remain part of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), as its Directorate of Special Operations (DSO).

At the heart of the Scorpions approach is the use of a troika system, where the prosecutors, investigators and intelligence operatives work together to solve, mostly, syndicated crimes.

Minister of Justice Brigitte Mabandla last week intimated the crime level had dropped sufficiently to do away with the Scorpions.

Camerer submitted to the contrary, presenting to Khampepe a report the Institute for Security Studies made in the US in May, which showed all types of crime had gone up.

The factors contributing to crime were a weak criminal justice system and organised crime.

While the SAPS last week argued their skills were sufficient to deal with the crime load, Camerer disagreed, saying higher salary scales enabled the Scorpions to attract and retain a number of skilled people.

She added that contrary to claims made by the National Intelligence Agency, the Scorpions intelligence gathering functions were provided for in the Constitution.

"The Scorpions independence should be jealously guarded. If the commission allows them to go into the police, the fight against crime will take a serious step back," said Camerer.

- SAPA