Civilian oversight of police in South Africa: from the ICD to the IPID

South Africa’s transition to a democracy brought with it a holistic accountability system geared toward aligning the South African Police with democratic principles. This article focuses on one component of this accountability system – the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) and its recent successor, the Independent Police Investigative Directive (IPID). It aims to critically review the mandate and operations of the ICD; reflect on the shift from the ICD to the IPID; and discuss the IPID’s mandate in light of past difficulties. The article concludes with a discussion of the theoretical implications of this shift and current challenges of police oversight.