Calls for IPID to be better resourced to resolve backlog

Executive Director for the Accountability Division at OUTA, Stefanie Fick, says the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) will continue to face backlog issues unless it receives the necessary budget to carry out successful investigations.

Her remarks come after the police ministry revealed in parliament that there is a backlog of 15,000 investigations into allegations of misconduct by police officers.

Gauteng has the second-highest number of outstanding investigations against police officers and leads other provinces in police corruption cases.

It also has the highest rates of rape perpetrated by police officers.

Fick has attributed the backlog to budget constraints.

“If you are not going to give them the funds in order to do their job; if you are not gonna give them the resources they need, they will always be under-performing. You can have the best person in that executive director position, (but) if he is not helped and if he is not resourced in order to do his job, next year we are going to hear that there are 20,000 cases. We have a backlog of 20,000 cases and the situation is not going to be resolved,” says Fick.

15,000 police misconduct cases backlogged: Gauteng leads in rape and corruption by officers