ANC lauds Parliament

2009-10-08 21:08

Cape Town - The ANC on Thursday lauded the National Assembly's police committee decision to end a meeting with top SA Police Service officers in Parliament.

The Saps delegation was sent away on Wednesday for failing to explain how the department would set up a proposed national DNA database.

Committee chairperson Sindi Chikunga cut short a briefing by senior police officials because they could not say how much money or staff it would take to create the database provided for in the Criminal Law (Forensic Procedures) Amendment Bill.

Access to home affairs' database

The delegation was instructed to prepare properly and reappear before the committee at a later date.

The ANC said the bill's importance in the fight against crime could not be over-emphasised.

The bill was intended to expand police powers to collect and store DNA samples, and establish and administer a national DNA database.

It also gave police access to the home affairs department's electronic database, which currently stored fingerprints of 31 million citizens and about 2.5 million foreigners, as well as to the transport department's database where six million thumbprints were stored.

Scrutinising civil servants

At present police only had access to its own database, which stored fingerprints of a limited number of convicted persons.

"Not only is the core objective of Parliament to make and pass laws, but also to scrutinise and oversee actions of the executive and civil servants," the ANC said in a statement.

The committee's decision to hold the senior policemen to account went to the core of democracy, the party said.

"The ANC commends the portfolio committee on police for playing an effective oversight role on behalf of South African taxpayers who will foot the cost of implementing the provisions of the bill," it said.
 

- SAPA