IPID: Recent shootouts involving police will delay probes

JOHANNESBURG - The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) said the recent killing of suspected criminals by police increased its workload, resulting in a delay in completing investigations.

This was after 14 people believed to be suspected criminals were shot dead by police in two separate incidents in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.

This is part of a growing number of similar incidents in the country in the last few months.

IPID spokesperson, Phaladi Shuping, said that while an investigation would normally take up to 90 days to complete, this would not be the case.

"Especially when you consider that some of the investigative aspects are not conducted by IPID, and they are done by police and the Department of Health. They have backlogs, so sometimes they delay the process."