DA MP Cameron elected to chair Parliament's committee on police

JOHANNESBURG - Democratic Alliance (DA) member of Parliament, Ian Cameron, has been elected as the chairperson of the portfolio committee on police. 

Cameron was elected in Parliament on Wednesday afternoon. 

He replaces the African National Congress (ANC)’s Albert Mammoga Seabi.

Cameron, a former crime activist, has in the past been very vocal about SAPS failures, specifically under the leadership of former minister, Bheki Cele. 

New minister of police, Senzo Mchunu, congratulated Cameron on his appointment. 

"You have, together with all of us, quite a big task to ensure we earn our titles."

Mchunu said that the work by the SAPS executive and portfolio committee on police could only be judged by the public. 

"They must experience it, they must feel it, they must see it. If they don’t see it, no matter how far we see it here, no matter how far we are seeing progress here, if they don’t see it, then it means we are not making progress and we must accept that."

As chairperson, Cameron will be responsible for the consideration of bills that apply to SAPS, deal with departmental budget votes and oversee the work of the department as a whole.