ICD chief financial officer properly appointed

Apr 3, 2011 1:57 PM | By Sapa
Public service policies and prescripts are followed "to the letter" in all Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) appointments, says a spokesman amid claims that the hiring of its chief financial officer was irregular.

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BIG SECRET:Siyabonga Cwele
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"If there is any dissatisfaction about these appointments, there must be proper investigations," ICD spokesman Moses Dlamini said in a statement on Sunday.

He claimed a Sunday Times report on the appointment of State Security Minister Siyabonga Cwele's daughter Lindokuhle, 25, as the ICD's chief financial officer was inaccurate.

The Sunday Times reported that the ICD was wracked by "internal turmoil".

It wrote that grievances had been lodged against ICD executive director Francois Beukman and over Cwele's appointment.

The newspaper claimed Beukman had refused to answer questions about the allegations.

"What the story doesn't say is that the executive director, Mr Francois Beukman, gave more comprehensive responses than that and those responses are not included in the article," Dlamini said.

The Sunday Times reported that Beukman had been investigated by former deputy minister of police Fikile Mbalula over the alleged irregular appointment of his office manager Ilse Pretorius.

Cwele's daughter, who had two years experience, was reportedly appointed even though another more experienced applicant from the National Treasury was overlooked.

Dlamini said the ICD was aware of one anonymous complaint against Beukman lodged with the Public Service Commission.

The other grievances were being dealt with in line with the relevant procedures.

"It would be unethical to respond in public to the specific allegations since there are processes underway to deal with them," he said.

"The executive director would like to state clearly that the ICD is not in crisis and that all managerial and operational processes are running effectively.

"The ICD is fully committed to the implementation of the new IPID [Independent Police Investigative Directorate] Bill.

"All individuals who are affected by the changes caused by the new legislation should engage their labour unions to ensure that they are not prejudiced," he said.

Times Live

Minister's daughter not qualified for job
Managers accuse ICD director of victimisation and abuse of power
Apr 3, 2011 12:34 AM | By SIBUSISO NGALWA
The Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) has been rocked by internal turmoil - with top management lodging grievances against their boss and questions being raised about the appointment of a cabinet minister's "inexperienced" 25-year-old daughter as chief financial officer.

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Nathi Mthethwa
Photograph by: Bathini Mbatha
Questions also raised about appointment of a cabinet minister's 'inexperienced' 25-year-old daughter as chief financial officer
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ICD chief financial officer properly appointed


The Sunday Times can reveal that at least five senior managers, including two provincial heads, have complained to the Public Service Commission and Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa.

Allegations of victimisation and abuse of power have been levelled against former ANC MP and ICD executive director Francois Beukman.

Other allegations centre on irregular appointments and strained relations between Beukman and his top management, threatening the work of the unit tasked to investigate complaints against the police.

Members of staff who spoke to the Sunday Times on condition of anonymity also queried the appointment of Minister of State Security Siyabonga Cwele's daughter, Lindokuhle, who has limited experience.

Cwele joined the department in December last year.

"How is it possible that (Cwele), who has two years' experience, managed to beat a lady (who applied) who is a director at the national Treasury, who knows her stuff?" said an insider.

It has also been learnt that Beukman was investigated last year by a committee headed by former deputy minister of police Fikile Mbalula over allegations that he had "irregularly appointed" his office manager, Ilse Pretorius.

It is alleged that Beukman had personally brought Pretorius's CV and had insisted to the interviewing panel that she be considered for the position. She was subsequently appointed, despite scoring lower than another candidate, according to an insider.

Beukman is also accused of undermining his senior managers by appointing their subordinates to act in his absence.

The Sunday Times understands that, among the complainants, are suspended Northern Cape head Dan Morema, Eastern Cape head Sakhele Poswa, head of investigations Tommy Tshabalala and general manager for information management and research Noluthando Sihlezane.

Police ministry spokesman Zweli Mnisi told the Sunday Times that the committee headed by Mbalula - now Minister of Sport and Recreation - had finished its probe and had handed its report to Mthethwa in January.

"After reviewing the findings ... Mthethwa requested the ... Department of Justice to take the matter forward and look into whether a formal disciplinary process should be instituted," said Mnisi, adding that Justice Director-General Nonkululeko Sindane was working with the Department of Public Service on the matter.

Mnisi said Mthethwa was concerned about the turmoil in the ICD, as it could disrupt the functioning of the oversight body.

But an ICD staffer questioned the time that had lapsed since the report was given to Mthethwa.

"(Beukman) is a politician ... they are protecting him. The suspicion is that the (political principals) want this thing to drag on until (Beukman's) five-year term has expired," said the staffer.

Beukman suggested that the complaints against him were motivated by anxiety over impending changes in his directorate.

"Change in any organisation is a tremendous process ... the (Independent Police Investigative Directorate) bill will affect mostly the senior management group," he said.

"The nine provincial heads' positions must be advertised so that there can be competition, and 50% of those must be women. Currently there is only one woman in Gauteng."

He refused to answer questions about Cwele's daughter's appointment or the investigation that was conducted against him.

"Regarding the (appointment) of the CFO and Pretorius, there are processes in place in terms of recruitment and appointment. They are quite strict. If there is any allegation of impropriety, then a complaint should be made and should be investigated," he said.

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Gupta family in row over candidate for their Joburg ward
Apr 3, 2011 12:34 AM | By MOIPONE MALEFANE
A new controversy has erupted over the nomination of the ANC's local government candidate for a Johannesburg ward that is home to the controversial Gupta family.

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Former SABC executive and socialite Judy Nwokedi was disqualified as an ANC candidate on the last day of registration by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) amid claims she was not a South African citizen.

Nwokedi, who insists she is a citizen, had been chosen by ANC members in Ward 117 - which includes upmarket suburbs such as Saxonwold and Parkhurst - as their candidate for the May 18 elections.

Ward 117 shot into prominence two months ago when the Sunday Times reported on a bid by the Gupta family to have their office assistant, Mandisa Makinana, nominated.

Nwokedi eventually emerged as the preferred candidate.

But on March 25, the last day of list registration for political parties, the IEC informed the ANC that Nwokedi would be disqualified as she was not a South African.

This claim seems to stem from the fact she spent some years living in Australia.

Nwokedi was born in Port Elizabeth's Livingstone Hospital.

Within hours of her disqualification, she was replaced by a known Gupta supporter as a candidate.

The Sunday Times understands that Nwokedi is not taking the disqualification lying down and that her supporters have asked ex-SABC boss, Advocate Dali Mpofu to take up the matter with the IEC.

Mpofu would not confirm that he is representing Nokwedi but said that he was a member of Ward 117.

Nwokedi also refused to talk about her disqualification.

"I can only confirm that I am a South African citizen," she said on Friday.

ANC spokesman in Gauteng Dumisa Ntuli said the party decided to replace Nwokedi as a candidate after the IEC informed the ANC that she was not eligible to stand.

"We tried our best to get a replacement because the IEC informed us just before the cut-off time (that she didn't qualify)," Ntuli said.

However, branch members, who are sympathetic to Nwokedi but asked to remain anonymous, have questioned the party's rush to replace her with Michael Reid - a known Gupta supporter - before proper investigations.

They further allege that the Department of Home Affairs has since confirmed that Nwokedi is a citizen and that she should not have been disqualified.

"We understand that Michael Reid has replaced Judy. The IEC accepted him around 7pm, which was way after the cut-off time (5pm). How come he was ready to take over?" asked the Ward 117 ANC member.

Another member questioned the ANC's failure to object to the disqualification.

"The cut-off date for objections is April 4, meaning the ANC could have verified with Judy the objection before registering her replacement," the member said.

The Gupta family home was used to conduct interviews for prospective ward candidates before Nwokedi was chosen by the ruling party.

The Sunday Times could not establish if Reid was among the three interviewed.

However, following the Sunday Times report on how the Gupta family wanted to control the ward and impose Makinana, Reid defended them.

He wrote in the Gupta-owned newspaper:

"I feel hurt on behalf of this comrade (Atul Gupta), and disgusted, if in fact members of our ward have communicated those lies to the newspapers.

''I personally attended that meeting as a Voting District Co-ordinator, I can say that Comrade Atul had nothing to do with the nomination of Mandisa.''

How top cop promoted his 'right-hand man'
Apr 3, 2011 12:34 AM | By WERNER SWART
Police Crime Intelligence boss Lieutenant-General Richard Mdluli promoted a man who is now facing a murder rap with him - ensuring that he jumped seven ranks in one day.

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Mdluli and Colonel Nkosana Sebastian Ximba were this week arrested for a murder 12 years ago.

Ximba was given the promotion last year by a man described as his "father figure". It enabled him to leapfrog from a constable to a colonel.

The Sunday Times can reveal that this is now the subject of an internal probe, while the Hawks, who arrested the duo, are also investigating.

Oupa Ramogibe was killed in Vosloorus, east of Johannesburg, in 1999 after a love triangle involving himself, Mdluli and a woman.

Mdluli and Ximba then worked at the Vosloorus police station, where Mdluli was the station commander .

The two, along with Warrant Officer Samuel Dlomo and a fourth suspect, also a colonel, will, on Thursday, face charges of murder, kidnapping and defeating the ends of justice.

Senior police officers said they were investigating how the four managed to "frustrate" the long-running probe.

Slain underworld boss Cyril Beeka took an interest in the case months before his March 21 assassination.

Late last year, he assisted the Sunday Times in tracking down Ramogibe's family and promised them a proper investigation was being carried out .

Yesterday, over 1000 people attended Beeka's funeral in Cape Town, where an ANC flag was draped over his coffin.

Asked about the promotion, police spokesman Colonel Vish Naidoo said: "I want to emphasise that the national police commissioner (General Bheki Cele) neither signed nor approved (it) ."

Mdluli, one of the most powerful cops in the country, has been at loggerheads with Cele.

Tensions heightened when two of his officers raided the office of the public protector Thuli Madonsela days after she slammed Cele in a lease-agreement scandal.

This week, a senior police officer said Ximba was "Mdluli's right-hand man for years".

A slew of arrests are also expected, with more claims of crime intelligence hampering investigations by the Hawks.

In the two weeks after Beeka's murder, the police have been rocked by:

�The arrest of Czech fugitive Radovan Krejcir and claims that he was being fed information by rogue intelligence officers;

�The arrest of Mdluli, who has been fingered in covert operations involving the bugging of phones, including those of former Scorpions investigators in the Jacob Zuma corruption case and the Jackie Selebi trial; and

�Growing claims that Cele wants to rid the police of allies of his disgraced predecessor,Selebi.

Mdluli and Beeka have both been linked to Krejcir, who, since arriving in South Africa in 2007, has set up an elaborate network of contacts in the underworld and police.

The Hawks have claimed that a hit list found at Krejcir's home during a raid included Beeka's name.

Krejcir is alleged to have been given telephone recordings by crime intelligence officers.

Ximba held directorships in 10 companies.

Meanwhile, at the Beeka funeral, friends and family paid their last respects at the Good Hope Christian Centre.

An emotional Edward Beeka, the brother of the karate instructor, came close to tears during his eulogy, saying: "God is still merciful. We don't seek revenge."

Beeka's girlfriend at the time of his death, who was not identified, also spoke briefly about the pain of being left behind with the couple's 11-month-old son. - Additional reporting by Bobby Jordan

Times Live

Comments by Sonny

CORRUPTION IN SA?

NEVER!!