ActionSA has begun preparing legal papers to challenge the Independent Police Investigating Directorate’s (IPID) decision to classify its investigation into the Presidential Protection Unit’s conduct in the Phala Phala case as “Top Secret”.
Dewan de Swardt, ActionSA National Chairperson, explained that the move follows an appeal filed last month, which IPID ignored.
“This report is the last beachhead in the fight against abuses of power to protect the President. After a whitewashed Public Protector’s report and the SARB clearing the President, IPID’s findings remain the only opportunity to hold him accountable,” he said.
ActionSA’s legal challenge will take a three-pronged approach; it will question the constitutionality of the Minimum Information Security Standards (MISS) policy, the rationality of classifying the report as Top Secret, and will ask the courts to compel IPID to release it.
De Swardt criticised the policy for giving a wide range of officials the power to withhold documents under vague pretexts.
“It is ridiculous that a report can be hidden simply because it may offend another government institution. This does not serve the public interest or transparency,” he said.
IPID spokesperson Phaladi Shuping told VOC News that the report was classified to avoid prejudicing other law enforcement investigations and to protect personal information of those implicated before they were charged.
“At the time, we also wanted to protect the personal information of those implicated before they were charged,” Shuping said.
De Swardt added that ActionSA will continue to pursue the matter.
“Accountability will have to come from an unofficial opposition speaking for South Africans who want a constitutional democracy. We will not rest until the truth is known,” he said.
Photo: Facebook/ Phala Phala Wildlife
