South African President Kgalema Motlanthe has signed legislation that disbands the country's elite anti-crime investigating unit

Presidential spokesman Thabo Masebe said that the unit - known as the Scorpions - will now be part of the standard police forces. The Scorpions had a much better track record than the police at solving crime. But they fell afoul of the ruling African National Congress party for their corruption investigation of ANC leader Jacob Zuma, who is expected to become the country's next president. So Parliament passed the legislation that Motlanthe just signed. Critics have said the move sends a message that South Africa's government is not serious about curbing crime in country where there are more than 50 murders a day.