Publication

This paper focuses on police accountability in the context of police powers, with the aim of affecting policy options in South Africa. The authors show that one of the obstacles which the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) faces has been the refusal of South African Police Service (SAPS) members to answer questions put to them by ICD investigators. They consider different mechanisms to compel police co-operation in internal investigations within the context of South Africa's constitutional framework. They also argue for amendments to the Police Act, which would create circumstances in which police officers might be obliged to answer questions in ICD and internal SAPS proceedings.