UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
College of Law
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
OVM3701: Investigative
Principles for Policing IIIA
Assignment 01 — Semester 1, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
OVM3701
Module Code:
Investigative Principles for Policing IIIA
Module Name:
Springs Detective Service Carltonville Incident (2015)
Case Study:
[Student Name]
Student Name:
[Student Number]
Student Number:
01
Assignment Number:
March 2026
Due Date:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for OVM3701 — UNISA 2026
, UNISA | OVM3701 Investigative Principles for Policing
Question 1: Types of Informers, Their Motives, and Ensuring Their Safety
Informers are a critical source of intelligence in criminal investigations. They occupy
a unique position within the law enforcement information-gathering process because
they operate from within communities, social networks, and sometimes even crim-
inal organisations, providing information that investigators could not readily obtain
through formal channels.1 In the Carltonville case study, three informers accompa-
nied the two detective constables, illustrating that informers are deployed not merely
to gather background intelligence but also to assist in the active tracking and identifi-
cation of suspects in the field.
1.1 Types of Informers
The literature identifies several distinct types of informers, each defined by the con-
text in which they operate and the nature of the information they provide.
(a) The Voluntary Public Informer
The voluntary public informer is an ordinary member of the community who, without
any personal stake in the matter, comes forward to provide information to the police
out of a sense of civic responsibility.2 This individual typically has incidentally wit-
nessed criminal activity or possesses knowledge about a suspect. In the Carltonville
context, the three informers accompanying the constables did not appear to be act-
ing in this capacity, as their involvement in active field operations goes beyond what
one would expect of a concerned citizen.
1
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Organised Crime Module 8: Special Investigative Tech-
niques — Informants (UNODC 2008) ⟨https://www.unodc.org/e4j/en/organized-crime/module-
8/key-issues/special-investigative-techniques/informants.html⟩ accessed 14 March 2026.
2
UNODC (n 1).
Page 2 of 15
College of Law
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
OVM3701: Investigative
Principles for Policing IIIA
Assignment 01 — Semester 1, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
OVM3701
Module Code:
Investigative Principles for Policing IIIA
Module Name:
Springs Detective Service Carltonville Incident (2015)
Case Study:
[Student Name]
Student Name:
[Student Number]
Student Number:
01
Assignment Number:
March 2026
Due Date:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for OVM3701 — UNISA 2026
, UNISA | OVM3701 Investigative Principles for Policing
Question 1: Types of Informers, Their Motives, and Ensuring Their Safety
Informers are a critical source of intelligence in criminal investigations. They occupy
a unique position within the law enforcement information-gathering process because
they operate from within communities, social networks, and sometimes even crim-
inal organisations, providing information that investigators could not readily obtain
through formal channels.1 In the Carltonville case study, three informers accompa-
nied the two detective constables, illustrating that informers are deployed not merely
to gather background intelligence but also to assist in the active tracking and identifi-
cation of suspects in the field.
1.1 Types of Informers
The literature identifies several distinct types of informers, each defined by the con-
text in which they operate and the nature of the information they provide.
(a) The Voluntary Public Informer
The voluntary public informer is an ordinary member of the community who, without
any personal stake in the matter, comes forward to provide information to the police
out of a sense of civic responsibility.2 This individual typically has incidentally wit-
nessed criminal activity or possesses knowledge about a suspect. In the Carltonville
context, the three informers accompanying the constables did not appear to be act-
ing in this capacity, as their involvement in active field operations goes beyond what
one would expect of a concerned citizen.
1
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Organised Crime Module 8: Special Investigative Tech-
niques — Informants (UNODC 2008) ⟨https://www.unodc.org/e4j/en/organized-crime/module-
8/key-issues/special-investigative-techniques/informants.html⟩ accessed 14 March 2026.
2
UNODC (n 1).
Page 2 of 15
