The capacity of the IPID to execute its mandate was under scrutiny at the Madlanga Commission following an ‘unhelpful’ report regarding officers implicated in a drug bust. Pictured is Takalani Zelda Maphosho, the Assistant Director for Investigations at IPID National Office.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) faced scrutiny over its handling of a probe involving officers implicated in the R300 million drug bust in Aeroton, Johannesburg.
Among the concerns raised by Commissioners of the Madlanga Commission with Takalani Zelda Maphosho, the Assistant Director for Investigations at IPID National Office, were that information from complainants was taken at face value without probing further.
Some conclusions were drawn based on assumptions without facts to back them up, the questions the IPID asked suspects were vague, and did not address specific allegations based on the complaint.
The complainants in the matter were businessman Tumelo Nku, who claimed to be a police informant; Samuel Mashaba, who worked in traffic services and served as the acting deputy director of Gauteng’s community safety department; Warrant Officer Steve Phakula, a member of the National Intervention Unit; and Warrant Officer Marumo Magane of the Zonkizizwe police station.
