Top Cop Mkhwanazi refutes mismanagement claims

Top Cop Mkhwanazi refutes mismanagement claims
June 7, 2012
By Go South Online

Acting Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi (SABC)
SABC
7 June 2012

Acting Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has refuted claims that he used millions of rands without proper authority on a fleet of luxury cars.

It’s understood a secret report is to be handed to Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence, alleging over R35 million was spent on the fleet. The fund has come under scutiny after allegations that former intelligence boss, Richard Mdluli, who was responsible for the fund, looted it to pay relatives and friends as police informants.

The Democratic Alliance says it wants the Auditor-General to investigate all the claims. Earlier on, the Institute for Security Studies accused Mkhwanazi of mismanagement.

Bheki Cele says he hasn’t been notified of his axing

Meanwhile, suspended Police Commissioner Bheki Cele says he hasn’t been notified of his axing. He says its too soon to talk about whether he will challenge it.

Sources have confirmed to the SABC that Cele is set to be fired. Cele says he will speak on the matter once President Jacob Zuma has made an announcement. Political parties have called on the President to clarify the matter.

AG must probe top cop’s alleged links to crime intelligence slush fund
Dianne Kohler Barnard, Shadow Minister of Police says that the timing of the revelations is curious considering the recent bold actions by Mkhwanazi and the ongoing factional battles within Crime Intelligence and the broader police service. Mkhwanazi is alleged to have fallen out of favour with President Zuma and Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa after he suspended Richard Mdluli in apparent defiance of the executive’s wishes.

“It is imperative that the Auditor-General, an independent body removed from the political war raging within the police and the ANC, investigate the allegations made and put forward recommendations.”

A report in The Star this morning reveals that Mkhwanazi allegedly authorised expenditure from the controversial Secret Services Account (SSA) for operational expenditure in direct contravention of the Secret Service Act.

The Auditor-General must also investigate the spending spree of Acting Crime Intelligence boss Fannie Masemola, during which 140 luxury vehicles were acquired, including BMW X3s, Audi Q5s, the latest Jeep SRTs and the latest BMW 320 models.

A transfer of at least five luxury vehicles from Crime Intelligence to Operational Response Services allegedly took place between January and February. The vehicles were a Mercedes-Benz ML 350 CDI, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Mercedes-Benz C300 and a Lexus 350 RXI.

It is unacceptable that police officers have to perform their duties without bulletproof vests, in stations that have no electricity, toilets and water while the SAPS top brass wastes money on luxury vehicles.

Police morale is already severely undermined as a result of the shenanigans of senior police officers, including Richard Mdluli, Jackie Selebi and Bheki Cele. Spending on luxury vehicles, at the expense of the needs of police men and women on the street, does very little to boost their morale or efforts in the fight against crime.”