Sexwale threatens to take legal action against Mdluli
02 Apr 2012 | Schalk Mouton HUMAN Settlement Minister Tokyo Sexwale has threatened to take legal action, possibly against crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli for the allegations that he was involved in a plot to topple President Jacob Zuma.
REINSTATED: Crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli
UNIMPRESSED: Human Settlement MinisterTokyo Sexwale A statement released by Sexwale's lawyers charges that the removal of Mdluli's case from the court does not change anything regarding the allegations against the minister.
Mdluli was reinstated last week following a year-long suspension on allegations of murder and fraud. He was accused of being involved in a decade-old love triangle murder.
Mdluli was also being accused of defrauding crime intelligence to buy two new BMWs for himself and his wife.
Mdluli told Zuma of an alleged plot by Sexwale and other ANC members, the "Mvela Group", to topple Zuma at the party's Mangaung conference.
"[Sexwale's] name has been mentioned among the so-called plotters, and he will follow this matter until his name is cleared," said lawyer Lesley Mkhabela. "[Sexwale] will take legal action against anybody involved," Mkhabela added.
Meanwhile, acting national police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has denied reports that he intends quitting his post.
His spokesman, Brigadier Lindela Mashigo, said he could not comment on a report in City Press that Mkhwanazi plans to meet President Jacob Zuma and tender his resignation. "I am well aware of the writing [in the newspaper] ... I have no comment, but to accompany my 'no comment' I am saying that he is still in place as acting national commissioner," Mashigo said.
He refused to comment on reports that Mkhwanazi objected to the reinstatement of Mdluli and police finance head Solly Lazarus. Their suspensions were lifted last week. City Press reported that Mkhwanazi was "shocked " by the political interference in the reinstatement of Mdluli.
The Presidency on Friday denied any suggestion that Zuma had interfered in the corruption investigation of Mdluli's affairs, or in his reinstatement, and said they were an internal police matter.
It also denied that Zuma had asked the inspector-general of intelligence, Faith Radebe, to rethink her decision to hand over the Mdluli investigation to the National Prosecuting Authority.
Fresh charges relating to fraud and corruption in the abuse of crime intelligence funds were levelled at both Mdluli and Lazarus.
The NPA said in February that the best way to deal with the murder charges against Mdluli was an inquest and not a trial.
The DA said yesterday that neither Mdluli nor Lazarus should be reinstated until Public Protector Thuli Madonsela had completed her inquiry into their behaviour.
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Public Protector must investigate Mdluli reinstatement - Kohler Barnard
Dianne Kohler Barnard
01 April 2012
DA MP says latest reports reveal the seriousness of the situation
DA to request investigation into lifting of Mdluli suspension
I will be writing to the Public Protector, Adv. Thuli Madonsela, to request that the decision to lift the suspension of Crime Intelligence Head Richard Mdluli amid allegations of fraud and murder is investigated.
Given the fact that, according to recent reports, the Inspector General of Intelligence Adv. Faith Radebe is deeply embroiled in this saga and potentially compromised due to serious questions about her involvement in the matter, the Democratic Alliance (DA) will seek advice from Adv. Madonsela (see City Press article).
Adv. Madonsela's investigation should also cover the termination of the internal police disciplinary process involving Mdluli. Additionally, it is imperative that the Public Protector's inquiry extend to include the head of the division's secret services account, Major General Solly Lazarus, whose suspension was also lifted.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) and Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa continue to remain silent on the questionable decision to lift the suspension. The denial by the Presidency that it unduly interfered in the Mdluli saga also does not provide a satisfactory explanation.
Reports in the City Press today indicating that acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi is threatening to quit after being ordered by Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa to lift Mdluli's suspension reveal the seriousness of this situation.
The Public Protector, in terms of section 6(4)(a) of the Public Protector Act, is empowered to investigate maladministration in connection with the affairs of government at any level, as well as abuse or unjustifiable exercise of power or unfair, capricious or other improper conduct or undue delay by a person performing a public function.
The DA believes that the decision to lift Mdluli's suspension amid such serious allegations and unanswered questions is irregular and that it is within the Public Protector's power to probe these recent developments.
The report into the conduct of Mdluli and Lazarus, drafted by Major General Mark Hankel and signed off by then-acting crime intelligence boss Chris de Kock, reveals that:
Mdluli's family members were appointed to the crime intelligence agent programme without performing any undercover operations;
Mdluli allegedly abused covert state vehicles that he was not entitled to;
a crime intelligence whistle-blower was abducted by other crime intelligence operatives;
a "prominent person" from KwaZulu-Natal was allegedly placed in crime intelligence to influence suspended police boss Bheki Cele;
Mdluli "abused" a travel agent in Durban, with he and his family travelling more than 50 times on the state's cost;
various safe houses were rented by the police for the sole use of Mdluli and his family;
two journalists were allegedly paid - one R100 000 to write a positive story about the police and the other R50 000 not to publish a story about a senior cop; and
evidence was uncovered from which it appears that crime intelligence "sought to influence political processes in KwaZulu-Natal through the deployment of a select few covert intelligence fieldworkers" in the province. This included "buying influence and access".
The DA remains adamant that Mdluli must have his day in court to answer to what has been described as a "slam-dunk case".
Until such time, neither Mdluli nor Lazarus should be reinstated in their same roles, given that their positions are now severely compromised.
The Public Protector must therefore investigate the decision to lift the suspension and make the appropriate recommendations.
Statement issued by Dianne Kohler Barnard MP DA Shadow Minister of Police, April 1 2012
DA police spokeswoman Dianne Kohler Barnard said she would write to Madonsela requesting an investigation. She said the investigation should look at the reasons for the scrapping of the police's internal disciplinary process against Mdluli.
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Polisiehoof wil loop oor Mdluli
2012-03-31 23:17
Lt.genl. Richard Mdluli
Adriaan Basson
Lt.genl. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, waarnemende polisiehoof, wil bedank omdat mnr. Nathi Mthethwa, minister van polisie, hom beveel het om die skorsing van lt.genl. Richard Mdluli terug te trek.
’n “Verbysterde” Mkhwanazi wag net op ’n vergadering met pres. Jacob Zuma waar hy die ontruiming van sy pos sal bespreek.
Bronne midde-in die afgelope week se gebeure rondom die heraanstelling van Mdluli, hoof van die misdaadintelligensie-eenheid wat by korrupsie betrek is, en genl.maj. Solly Lazarus, hoof van finansies by dié eenheid, het aan City Press gesê Mkhwanazi is geskok oor die vlak van politieke inmenging in die saak.
“Niemand weet wat volgende gaan gebeur nie. Mense is bang. Wat gaan met diegene gebeur wat Mdluli ondersoek het?” wou ’n senior polisiebron weet.
Mkhwanazi het hom daarop toegespits om die misdaadintelligensie-eenheid, wat betrokke was by ’n skandaal oor die misbruik van ’n geheime fonds van R200 miljoen, “skoon te maak”.
City Press onthul verder:
* Mdluli is nie net in sy ou pos heraangestel nie: Die presidensiële beskermingseenheid en die eenheid vir beskermings- en veiligheidsdienste, wat gesamentlik sorg vir die beskerming van Zuma, sy ministers, provinsiale premiers en LUR’e, is nou onder Mdluli se beheer.
* Mdluli kry hiermee toegang tot en beheer oor die bewegings van Zuma se kabinetslede, onder wie diegene wat sy kandidaatskap as ANC-leier op die party se nasionale konferensie in Desember in Mangaung sal teenstaan.
* ’n Botsing dreig glo ook in die nasionale vervolgingsgesag (NVG) tussen aanklaers in die Mdluli-saak en senior NVG-base wat geweier het om Mdluli te vervolg.
Mkhwanazi wou nie vrae beantwoord oor of Mthethwa hom beveel het om Mdluli weer aan te stel en of hy in die polisie gaan aanbly nie.
Verlede week is onthul dat adv. Faith Radebe, inspekteur-generaal van intelligensie, skriftelik by Mkhwanazi aanbeveel het dat die aanklagte teen Mdluli heringestel moet word.
Kort ná die aanbeveling het “senior ministers” Radebe “onder massiewe druk geplaas” om haar brief te onttrek, het ingeligte bronne in die polisie, NVG en die departement van justisie gesê.
Radebe was glo so erg “getraumatiseer dat sy byna in trane was”. Mkhwanazi het geweier om die brief aan Radebe terug te besorg en het vir haar gesê sy het kragtens die wet opgetree en dat hulle “die regte ding” moes doen.
Mthethwa het Radebe en Mkhwanazi Dinsdag na ’n vergadering ontbied waar hy Mkhwanazi beveel het om Mdluli se skorsing op te hef en Radebe weer aangesê het om haar brief te onttrek.
Radebe het toe vir Mthethwa gesê sy het Mkhwanazi gevra om die brief terug te gee ná ’n oproep van “Nommer Een” (blykbaar Zuma), maar Mkhwanazi het geweier.
Mkhwanazi het toe vir Mthethwa gesê hy is nie van plan om Mdluli se skorsing op te hef nie en hy sal liewer bedank as hy daartoe gedwing word.
Mthethwa het hierop gesê Mkhwanazi is deur Zuma aangestel en slegs die president kon sy bedanking aanvaar. Zuma was die afgelope week in Indië vir die Brics-beraad.
Mkhwanazi het toe wel onder protes Mdluli en Lazarus se skorsing opgehef, maar geweier dat sy naam aan dié besluit gekoppel word.
Mnr. Zweli Mnisi, Mthethwa se woordvoerder, ontken die minister het Mkhwanazi beveel om die skorsings op te hef.
Mnr. Mac Maharaj, Zuma se woordvoerder, ontken ook heftig dat die president betrokke was. Hy sê Zuma het Radebe nooit gebel nie.
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