Kingdom Mabuza

Kingdom Mabuza

A member of the public, Vukile Phambo, told the public hearing on the proposed bill to dissolve the Scorpions that the creation of the unit had been a "fatal mistake".

The hearing, held at the Johannesburg City Hall yesterday, also heard from other members of the public that the intention to disband the Scorpions was politically motivated.

"When the Scorpions were created we never got a chance to have a say," Phambo said. "We are grateful today that we are given a chance to tell the government how we want to be policed.

"The country is governed by the Constitution and the only law enforcement agency recognised is the SAPS. We made a serious mistake creating the Scorpions.

"We must improve the investigation capacity of the SAPS."

Father Thokozane Gumede of the SA Council of Churches said: "The country does not need two police agencies to execute the same duties. The Scorpions have done a good job but we cannot have two law enforcement agencies."

He said the churches were prepared to act as monitors for the police in every village and community in the country.