CRIME QUARTERLY

This June 2008 edition of SA Crime Quarterly examines the controversy over the dissolution of the Directorate of Special Operations (the Scorpions) in South Africa. It presents opposing views on whether the unit's disbandment is a necessary correction for abuses of power and patronage or a political move to protect ANC leaders. The issue is analyzed through the findings of the Khampepe Commission of Inquiry, which supported the DSO's legal mandate but criticized its intelligence gathering and lack of coordination with the SAPS. Additionally, the journal evaluates the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD), concluding that South African police oversight lacks sufficient independence and enforcement power.

• Moe Shaik argues that the Scorpions should be dissolved because they entrenched a system of patronage through politically motivated prosecutions and operated as intelligence gatherers without accountability to oversight bodies. He suggests that relocating a new investigative unit into the South African Police Service (SAPS) is the best way to resolve these issues.
• David Bruce contends that the dissolution of the Scorpions, following a resolution by the African National Congress (ANC) at the Polokwane Conference in December 2007, will increase the potential for political manipulation of criminal investigations and undermine the principle of equality before the law.
• The Khampepe Commission of Inquiry found that the DSO's legal mandate to investigate and prosecute serious organised crime within a single entity was constitutional, noting that the term 'single' in the Constitution does not mean 'exclusive'.
• The Khampepe Commission identified that the DSO exceeded its legal 'information' gathering mandate by establishing intelligence gathering capabilities, which the report states would be in conflict with the Constitution.
• The Khampepe Commission recommended that the DSO remain located within the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to ensure investigations are prosecution-led, but suggested transferring political oversight of its law enforcement component to the Minister of Safety and Security.
• The Khampepe Commission noted a lack of coordination and cooperation between the DSO and the SAPS, and recommended that the two institutions streamline personnel training to improve efficiency.
• Research into the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) suggests that civilian oversight of the police in South Africa is insufficient. Recommendations for improvement include having the ICD report directly to parliament or a minister not responsible for the police, and amending the South African Police Service Act (1995) to require the police to provide reasoned responses when ICD recommendations are not implemented.

APA

Shaik, M., Bruce, D., Wannenburg, G., Minnaar, A., Burger, J., Adonis, C., & Kanyegirire, A. (2008). CRIME QUARTERLY. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CQ24FULL.PDF

Chicago

Shaik, Moe, David Bruce, Gail Wannenburg, Anthony Minnaar, Johan Burger, Cyril Adonis, and Andrew Kanyegirire. CRIME QUARTERLY. Institute for Security Studies, 2008. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CQ24FULL.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Shaik |first1=Moe |last2=Bruce |first2=David |last3=Wannenburg |first3=Gail |last4=Minnaar |first4=Anthony |last5=Burger |first5=Johan |last6=Adonis |first6=Cyril |last7=Kanyegirire |first7=Andrew |title=CRIME QUARTERLY |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=June 2008 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CQ24FULL.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{shaik2008crime, author = {Shaik, Moe and Bruce, David and Wannenburg, Gail and Minnaar, Anthony and Burger, Johan and Adonis, Cyril and Kanyegirire, Andrew}, title = {{CRIME QUARTERLY}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2008}, month = jun, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/CQ24FULL.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }