JOHANNESBURG - Newly appointed IDAC Oversight Judge, Takalani Raulinga, says his office will investigate complaints against IDAC officials without fear, favour or prejudice.
"We have already hit the ground running," Raulinga said.
He says investigators are already hard at work probing IDAC cases and other high-profile complaints.
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Raulinga says some of the matters under investigation are new, while others are older.
"I believe we have jurisdiction over that and we will be able to deal with them, actually," he says.
While South Africa has seen commissions of inquiry come and go to investigate various forms of impropriety, Raulinga says the IDAC Ombud office will be a permanent institution, with findings that are binding.
"Sometimes they will depend on the kind of recommendations we make," he says.
However, Raulinga emphasises that the office cannot instruct anyone to prosecute or not.
"That is the NPA's duty, to prosecute or not," he explains.
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"Our mandate will make a finding or recommendation that there must be an investigation," he says.
Raulinga says his office’s mandate may intersect with the work of the Hawks Oversight Judge, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) and the South African Police Service (SAPS), but not significantly with the work of the Madlanga Commission.
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He explains that the commission’s recommendations will be submitted to President Cyril Ramaphosa, who will decide what action to take.
"There is no competition amongst these entities," says Raulinga.