National Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega has until Monday to motivate why she should not be suspended pending the inquiry into her fitness to hold office.

President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday announced that the board of inquiry would be made up of Judge Cornelis Johannes Claassen, who would chair it, and advocates Bernard Sakhile Khuzwayo and Anusha Rawjee.

Earlier this month, the commissioner told the president she needed more time to respond to his letter warning her of a possible suspension.

Last month, the Presidency announced that Zuma intended to institute an inquiry into allegations of misconduct levelled against Phiyega.

The inquiry would look into:

– Whether Phiyega, together with other leaders in the SA Police Service or alone, misled the Farlam Commission into the Marikana shooting regarding the decision to implement the “tactical option” taken the day before the fatal incident;

– The decision taken to implement the “tactical option” ought to have reasonably foreseen the tragic and catastrophic consequences which ensued;

– The remarks made by Phiyega at the SAPS parade on August 17, 2012 could have been understood as an unqualified endorsement of the police action therefore undermining, frustrating or otherwise impeding the work of the commission;

– The report prepared by Phiyega for Zuma on August 16, 2012 and the media statement the following day was deliberately amended to conceal the fact that there were two shooting incidents; misleading the public that all the deaths occurred at one scene because the SAPS were defending themselves; and

– Whether Phiyega’s testimony at the Farlam Commission was in keeping with her office and the discharge of her duties.

The Farlam Commission, headed by retired judge Ian Farlam, investigated the deaths of 44 people killed during strike-related unrest at Lonmin’s platinum mine in Marikana, Rustenburg, in August 2012.

It recommended in its report, released in June, that Phiyega face an inquiry into her fitness to hold office. News24