The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), commonly known as the ‘Hawks’, is currently at
a crossroads. The Constitutional Court judgment in Glenister vs the President of South Africa and Others
has called into question the Directorate’s continued existence in its current form. One of the most
important questions raised by the Constitutional Court judgment is whether the DPCI can be sufficiently
independent while located within the SAPS. This article presents arguments in support of the view that
separating the unit from the SAPS is essential to build public confidence in the unit and to meet the
requirements of the judgment.