Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia Recommends New Agency to Combat Organised Crime and Protect Whistleblowers
Pretoria, Gauteng – Acting Police Minister Prof Firoz Cachalia has put forward a plan for a new agency to tackle organised crime and safeguard whistleblowers. He shared this idea while speaking to Parliament’s ad hoc committee looking into corruption within the police service. This step forms part of wider changes to make law enforcement stronger in dealing with deep-rooted corruption, such as in buying goods and services. Cachalia pointed out that current groups like the Hawks and the Special Investigating Unit need help because they depend on special orders from the president to start their work. With crime and graft on the rise, this new body could help fill gaps and bring quicker action against wrongdoers.
The call for fresh tools comes as South Africa faces tough challenges from criminal groups that harm the economy and safety. Leaders say building better systems now will help fix old problems and make the country safer for everyone.
Details of the New Agency Proposal
Cachalia told the committee that the country needs new ways to fight crime beyond what exists today. “What we’ve said is we need to establish this new body; we need new capabilities,” he explained. The agency would differ from others by not needing a president’s okay to probe cases. It would also focus on helping people who speak out against wrongdoing, keeping them safe from harm.
He suggested using current laws as a base but adding new rules to make the agency stronger. This would build on the work of the Special Investigating Unit but give it more freedom to act fast. Cachalia stressed that this is a good time to set up new groups to rebuild skills and fight graft in places like buying for health services. He wants to see quick probes into serious issues without waiting for top-level nods.
Context of Ongoing Police Reforms
This idea is part of bigger changes in how police work in South Africa. Cachalia said the time is right to look at new setups to fix what is broken. He has been involved in these talks for years, leading a group since 2022 that gave a final report in August 2025. The group looked at ways to make anti-graft efforts better across the board.
He also spoke about past mistakes, like ending a special unit years ago, which he thinks added to today’s problems. Now, with fresh plans, the focus is on making law enforcement quicker and fairer. This includes dealing with killings of people who blow the whistle or work in courts, which he wants chased hard. Cachalia believes these steps will help clean up systems and stop crime rings from growing.
Differences from Existing Agencies Like Hawks and SIU
Current groups like the Hawks and Special Investigating Unit do good work but have limits. They often need the president’s go-ahead to start big probes, which can slow things down. Cachalia said this is not the best way and a new agency could fix that by working on its own.
“They are limited to exercising powers that the president has conferred by proclamation. That’s not optimal. You need a body that can investigate matters without presidential proclamation. You need a body that can deal with whistleblowing. We don’t have such institutions in place at the moment,” he pointed out. The new setup would also protect those who report crimes, something not fully covered now.
This would make fights against graft stronger, especially in areas like buying goods where money often goes missing. Cachalia wants to use old laws as a start but add new ones for better results.
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