VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSA #0306 0441535
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131535Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3462
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS PRETORIA 000306 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/S, INL/AAE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ASEC KCRM SF
SUBJECT: NQAKULA FORMALLY PROPOSES FOLDING SCORPIONS INTO 
SAPS 
 
REF: A. 05 PRETORIA 4296 
     ¶B. 07 PRETORIA 4262 
     ¶C. PRETORIA 0075 
 
¶1. (U) Minister for Safety and Security Charles Nqakula 
proposed before the National Assembly on February 12 that the 
National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Directorate of Special 
Operations, popularly known as the "Scorpions," and the South 
African Police Service's (SAPS) Organised Crime Unit be 
merged into a single unit to fight organized crime. 
Specifically, Nqakula recommended that the Scorpions be 
"dissolved", that the Organised Crime Unit be "phased out", 
and that "the best investigators from the two units will be 
put together, under the South African Police Service, as a 
reconstructed organised crime fighting unit."  Nqakula went 
on to praise the successes of both entities.  He offered no 
timetable for the proposed incorporation of the Scorpions 
into SAPS. 
 
¶2. (U) Opposition figures in Parliament reacted by saying 
that the announcement undermines Parliament's authority and 
threatens the independence of law enforcement agencies. 
(NOTE: In separate initiatives (septel), the Democratic 
Alliance (DA) tabled a motion under Article 50(a) of the 
Constitution calling for the dissolution of the National 
Assembly, while the Independent Democrats (ID) tabled an 
Article 102(2) motion of no confidence in President Mbeki and 
urged the President and his Cabinet to resign.) 
 
---------------------------- 
"Good News for Crime Bosses" 
---------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Peter Gastrow, former parlimentarian and head of 
the Cape Town office of the Institute for Security Studies 
(ISS), told EmbOff February 12 that "the only people that are 
happy about (the dissolution of the Scorpions) are the 
organized crime bosses."  Gastrow believes that the folding 
of the Scorpions into SAPS will mean the end of the unit and 
the effective work it has been doing. 
 
-------------- 
"Cooler Heads" 
-------------- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Parliamentary staffer Patrick Netshandama 
seperately told EmbOff February 12 that the media is 
overreacting and misrepresenting Nqakula's announcement as a 
fait accompli.  He explained that the Scorpions can only be 
disbanded after properly amended legislation has been tabled, 
discussed, and approved.  Netshandama believes that this is 
still likely to happen, due to the ANC's overwhelming 
majority in Parliament, but only after the necessary and 
time-consuming legislative process.  However, there is 
concern over the Minister's having announced an "outcome" in 
Parliament before the relevant parliamentary committees had a 
chance to deal with pertinent legislation and to hold 
hearings.  Nqakula's scheduled press conference for February 
13, presumably to discuss the matter, was abruptly canceled. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Incorporation of the Scorpions, an elite NPA 
investigative unit tasked with fighting organized crime and 
corruption (which falls under Department of Justice 
authority), into the SAPS (which falls under Nqakula's 
Department of Safety and Security) has been under discussion 
for several years (Ref A).  Policy papers adopted at the June 
ANC policy conference and the December ANC national 
conference in Polokwane include a plan to establish a single 
police service which specifically mentions dissolving the 
Scorpions and bringing its investigators under the SAPS.  The 
matter has come to a head in recent months, with indictments 
filed against ANC President Jacob Zuma (Ref B) and SAPS 
National Commissioner Jakkie Selebi (Ref C) based on 
QNational Commissioner Jakkie Selebi (Ref C) based on 
investigations conducted by the Scorpions.  While Nqakula's 
statement will undoubtedly stir up controversy, we agree with 
Netshandama's assessment that implementation of his proposal 
will require time and legislative action.  Post strongly 
suspects that most Scorpions will refuse job offers with SAPS. 
BOST