UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (UNISA)
College of Law
⋄
OVM3701: ASSIGNMENT 01
Semester 1 — 2026
⋄
Module Code: OVM3701
Module Name: Investigative Principles for Policing IIIA
Student Name: [Insert Student Name]
Student Number: [Insert Student Number]
Assignment No.: 01
Due Date: March 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Unique Number: [Insert Unique Number]
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for OVM3701
at the University of South Africa.
, UNISA | OVM3701 Informers and Interrogation
Question 1: Types of Informers, Their Motives, and How to Ensure Their Safety
The case study reveals that three informers accompanied the two Springs detective constables
on their operation to Carltonville. This raises a critical question about how informers are clas-
sified, what drives them to cooperate with the police, and what obligations law enforcement
has to protect them. Informers are a longstanding and often underappreciated source of intel-
ligence in criminal investigations, particularly in complex cases involving organised crime,
murder, and fugitive suspects (Minnaar, 2011).
1.1 Definition and Role of an Informer
An informer – sometimes referred to as a confidential source or informant – is a person who
supplies investigators with intelligence about criminal activities or plans, frequently in ex-
change for payment or other forms of incentive (Atkinson, 2019; Minnaar, 2011). It is worth
noting that the South African Police Service (SAPS) does not categorise deep cover or un-
dercover operatives as informers; the term refers specifically to civilian sources who pass
information to investigators (SAPS, 2018).
Informers may be engaged for a wide range of tasks. While gathering intelligence about a
crime is the most obvious function, they may also be used to identify suspects, locate fugi-
tives, monitor criminal activities, facilitate access to suspects, or assist investigators in execut-
ing operations in unfamiliar territory (Minnaar, 2011). In the Carltonville case, the informers
were being used in this broader operational sense – accompanying detectives in the field to
assist in tracking suspects. This type of deployment goes beyond intelligence-gathering and
carries far greater personal risk for the informer.
1.2 Types of Informers
The literature identifies several distinct categories of informers, each with different character-
istics, degrees of engagement, and risk profiles (Minnaar, 2011; Sennewald and Tsukayama,
2006).
Page 1 of 13
College of Law
⋄
OVM3701: ASSIGNMENT 01
Semester 1 — 2026
⋄
Module Code: OVM3701
Module Name: Investigative Principles for Policing IIIA
Student Name: [Insert Student Name]
Student Number: [Insert Student Number]
Assignment No.: 01
Due Date: March 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Unique Number: [Insert Unique Number]
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for OVM3701
at the University of South Africa.
, UNISA | OVM3701 Informers and Interrogation
Question 1: Types of Informers, Their Motives, and How to Ensure Their Safety
The case study reveals that three informers accompanied the two Springs detective constables
on their operation to Carltonville. This raises a critical question about how informers are clas-
sified, what drives them to cooperate with the police, and what obligations law enforcement
has to protect them. Informers are a longstanding and often underappreciated source of intel-
ligence in criminal investigations, particularly in complex cases involving organised crime,
murder, and fugitive suspects (Minnaar, 2011).
1.1 Definition and Role of an Informer
An informer – sometimes referred to as a confidential source or informant – is a person who
supplies investigators with intelligence about criminal activities or plans, frequently in ex-
change for payment or other forms of incentive (Atkinson, 2019; Minnaar, 2011). It is worth
noting that the South African Police Service (SAPS) does not categorise deep cover or un-
dercover operatives as informers; the term refers specifically to civilian sources who pass
information to investigators (SAPS, 2018).
Informers may be engaged for a wide range of tasks. While gathering intelligence about a
crime is the most obvious function, they may also be used to identify suspects, locate fugi-
tives, monitor criminal activities, facilitate access to suspects, or assist investigators in execut-
ing operations in unfamiliar territory (Minnaar, 2011). In the Carltonville case, the informers
were being used in this broader operational sense – accompanying detectives in the field to
assist in tracking suspects. This type of deployment goes beyond intelligence-gathering and
carries far greater personal risk for the informer.
1.2 Types of Informers
The literature identifies several distinct categories of informers, each with different character-
istics, degrees of engagement, and risk profiles (Minnaar, 2011; Sennewald and Tsukayama,
2006).
Page 1 of 13
