Cachalia hints at declassification of IPID report on Phala Phala

ACTING Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has hinted at the possibility of declassifying the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) report on the conduct of members of the Presidential Protection Unit in the controversial investigation into the theft at President Cyril Ramaphosa's Phala Phala farm.

- MAYIBONGWE MAQHINA

Cachalia, in response to parliamentary questions from EFF MP Mazwi Blose, stated that IPID is contemplating revising the classification status of the report, which has been designated as "Top Secret".

"This is in view of the need to balance the individual rights as alluded to above with the public interest to access information," he said.

Blose sought clarity on when the report would be declassified for public access, especially following earlier confirmations from suspended Minister Senzo Mchunu earlier this year that the document had been referred to the SAPS in October 2023 for implementation of recommendations.

Mchunu noted that the classification was initiated under the Minimum Information Security Standards, preventing the release until proper declassification procedures were undertaken.

"Until it is accordingly declassified, it would not be released for public consumption," he said in February.