Mkhwanazi picks up paint roller to revamp police pound for Mandela Day
Mkhwanazi joined public works and infrastructure department director-general Sifiso Mdakane to commemorate International Nelson Mandela Day at the Isipingo police vehicle pound.
The facility was severely damaged during the 2022 floods and Mdakane gave police officials an update on revamp developments before embarking on Mandela Day activities that included painting walls and cleaning the yard.
Mdakane said the pound, which can house several thousand vehicles, will be back to full and improved operation by the end of December, with critical operations restored by the end of October.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
16 hours ago
- IOL News
The impact of political appointments on the leadership crisis in the South African Police
A large group of uniformed police officers salute Appointment of national police commissioners based on political affinity, rather than professionalisation is among the caused of the leadership in the South African Police Service, according to experts. Picture: Supplied. Image: Supplied The appointment of individuals with no policing experience as national police commissioners in South Africa is among the causal factors contributing to the leadership crisis within the South African Police Service (SAPS). This was revealed during a recent webinar that looked at the leadership crisis in the SAPS and what should have been done to rectify the situation. It was co-hosted by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), the Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (CIPLO), and the Hanns Seidel Foundation. At the centre of the discussion was the bombshell dropped by the KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who accused the police minister and a deputy national commissioner of corruption. The Parliamentary and judicial inquiries, which are about to commence, relate to this crisis and a new police minister who will assume office in August. Gareth Newham, Head of Justice and Violence Prevention at the ISS, said the National Development Plan (NDP) back in 2011 identified a serial crises of the top leadership of the police. The NDP was adopted by the Cabinet in 2012. 'I think the main challenge has been that between the year 2000 and 2017, the people who were appointed as permanent national commissioners of the South African Police Service were not career police officers. 'They were not professional policemen or policewomen who had worked their way up through the ranks, who understood the nature of the challenge of policing in South Africa, had walked in boots, understood the difficulties that the men and women in blue face on a daily basis, what it's like to be in a command situation over a unit or a shift or to run a police station,' Newham said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ He added that the individuals who were made national commissioners without being career police officers were appointed primarily, seemingly, because of their personal and political loyalties to whoever was the President of the time. Newham said it is important to leave it up to the police, who are the professionals, to look at the resources they have and come up with operational plans about how to address crime, to structure the organisation correctly, to make sure it has its functions working well and effectively in an efficient manner. 'The post, the National Commission of Police, is operational. They are the head of the department. They are the counting officer. According to the Police Act, they are supposed to give operational direction to the organisation. Whereas the minister, who is provided for in the Constitution, is the political head. 'So, we have elections, the governing party appoints the minister of police, and that police minister gives directives to the police, and primarily should be giving those directives in terms of policy and strategy,' he said. He said that the permanent national police commissioners who were not professional police officers were largely coming to that post with a political lens, their focus was not on what good and necessary for the police and the public. Instead, they focused on what served their political aims, which is actually the job of the minister. 'And this is why you often see conflict between the minister and the National Commissioner. Both are appointed by the president, both believe they are responsible to the president for what they do, and can only be fired by the President. And so that has always led to conflict between the National Commissioner and the police, as seen back then between Riah Phiyega, who conflicted with then Minister Nathi Nhleko. 'We also saw Bheki Cele as the National Commissioner being in conflict as well with Minister Nathi Mthethwa at some point. When Cele became the minister, he was then in conflict with the National Commissioner, Khehla Sitole, and that's where the root of this high-level serial crises, because of course, the commissioner appoints people, and the police minister wants their people in,' Newham said. He added that this has resulted in a lot of mistrust, a lot of working against each other, and a lot of trying to undermine each other. Newham said this is an issue of leadership that promotes a specific ethos that characterises the organisational culture in which the men and women who have to serve the public are invested, take pride in, and are supported to promote. 'We really need to strengthen our (SAPS) internal and external accountability mechanisms, so that when police officers who are engaged in corruption or crime, or various kinds of misconduct, that we can identify them, and if it's corrective counselling they need in order to just guide them on the right path, we do that effectively,' Newham said. Professor Sandy Africa, Research Director of the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA), said in many cases, there have been appointments made, seemingly based on political affinity, rather than professionalisation. She added that there is an element of managerialism in the SAPS. 'It was assumed for quite a long time that all that was needed were the skills of management. And so you had, for example, former police commissioner Jackie Selebi, who had been quite successful as the director-general in the Department of Foreign Affairs, without policing experience, of course, he had the background of having been in the trenches in the past, in the uMkhonto weSizwe. 'It was assumed that the level of exposure to a kind of security environment, coupled with the managerial experience that had been accumulated over time, would probably be sufficient. And it turned out not to be. And again, and again, in the case of others, it seems to have been a mistake that just repeated itself,' Africa said. She added that even when someone from the private sector was brought in to the SAPS at a senior level (not as a commissioner) for a short period, on the assumption that he would deal with the problems, however, they could not be sorted out. She said over the last couple of years, at the very least, professional police have been given the opportunity. Africa highlighted that it is the problem of the entire public service to assume that managerialism is all that is needed. Asked whether the country was starting to see police officers, defence officials, actually entering the political sphere, she said what's happening at the moment shouldn't be misdiagnosed. 'I think this is, in fact, symptomatic of the high levels of trust or mistrust, and the kind of breakdown. So, all I am seeing is the fact that there's conflict between senior officials and within the departments, between the ministers and senior officials, and sometimes even between ministers, as you saw, in the July 2021 unrest, where even the ministers were at loggerheads with each other. 'The conditions actually are, I suppose, such that with the breakdown of authority, of trust, of systems, it's enterprising that these pronouncements are made, just because the very senior officials don't seem to trust them sufficiently, and I think this is the crisis that we are facing,' Africa said. Cardinal Stephen Brislin, President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops' Conference, said we are so used to having these sorts of scandals that there is a danger that is not taken seriously enough. 'The police services are there for the protection of people to protect their rights, to protect life itself, to protect resources, and to give recourse for people to justice, so that people may access justice. And when there is a breakdown, as has been alleged, this really breaks the very fabric of society,' he said. 'There are many good men and women in the police services, and we truly appreciate what they do and the integrity they have, but we also appreciate the suffering and the pain that they must be going through because of all this turmoil within the security forces,' he said. 'In this case, it is just very, very important that we know what the findings of the commission are. This investigator Commission, which we understand how they assess the allegations and who is implicated in any wrongdoing. And we also need to see action being taken about this. It cannot just be left to dwindle and nothing actually happens because that will simply ensure that the problems will continue into the future and that things will deteriorate even further,' Brislin said. He added that the church can become a very important voice in this process, together with other organisations and civil society.
Daily Maverick
17 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Commission to probe Mkhwanazi allegations will have power to refer cases for immediate criminal investigation
A commission of inquiry's terms of reference are 'make or break', according to Mbekezeli Benjamin from Judges Matter. Here's what to know about the inquiry into Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's explosive allegations. The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry will probe and report on the 'veracity, scope and extent' of the allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, about political interference in crime fighting and the infiltration of criminal syndicates in law enforcement. According to its terms of reference, published on Wednesday, 23 July: 'The Commission is appointed to investigate and report on the veracity, scope and extent of the allegations with regard to the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates and make findings and recommendations for criminal prosecutions, disciplinary actions and institutional reform.' The commission will have 'all the powers necessary' to summon witnesses and compel the production of documents, and to conduct search-and-seizure operations, subject to applicable law. It will also have the power to deviate from the Commissions Act of 1947, to allow it to potentially hold some of its sessions behind closed doors in order 'to protect the safety of witnesses, the integrity of ongoing investigations where appropriate and where intelligence and the work of intelligence services are concerned'. In addition, the commission will have the 'power to refer matters for immediate criminal investigation and urgent decisions on prosecution, taking into account the nature of the allegations and evidence the Commission will uncover'. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the appointment of the commission of inquiry on 13 July. His announcement came a week after Mkhwanazi made the explosive accusations about fellow police officers and other state officials. He claimed that a drug cartel in Gauteng was controlling a high-level criminal syndicate that extended into the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Police Ministry, Parliament, official prison structures, the judiciary and other law-enforcing authorities. He also alleged that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, along with several other figures, including the deputy national commissioner for crime detection, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, had undermined investigations into political killings and organised crime. Mchunu has been placed on special leave until the commission makes its findings, while Sibiya has been told to ' step aside '. Ramaphosa also appointed Professor Firoz Cachalia, the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council's chairperson and a former Gauteng community safety MEC, as acting police minister from 1 August. The commission will be led by 63-year-old Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga. Madlanga is currently serving as the country's acting chief justice and will retire from the Bench at the end of July. He was an evidence leader at the Marikana Commission in 2012. Advocate Sesi Baloyi SC and advocate Sandile Khumalo will assist Madlanga as co-commissioners. The commission is expected to submit an interim report to Ramaphosa within three months of its establishment and a final report within six months of its establishment, 'or such extended period as the President may determine'. The final report will also be sent to the National Assembly Speaker and the Chief Justice. Each report, according to the commission's terms of reference, should include 'recommendations that can be immediately actioned' based on the commission's work. 'The Commission shall, where appropriate, refer any matter for prosecution, further investigation or the convening of a separate enquiry to the appropriate law enforcement agency, government department or regulator,' read the terms of reference. 'Effectiveness or failure of oversight mechanisms' According to its terms of reference, the commission will inquire into, report on and make findings and recommendations on 'whether criminal syndicates, including but not limited to drug cartels, have infiltrated or exert undue influence over' eight specific institutions including: The SAPS, including the Political Killings Task Team and the Crime Intelligence unit; The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department; The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department; The Tshwane Metropolitan Police Department; The National Prosecuting Authority; The State Security Agency; Any member of the judiciary, including the magistracy and courts administration; The Department of Correctional Services; and Any other institutions or organs of state within the criminal justice system. The commission will also investigate the 'nature, extent and consequences of such infiltration and influence', as well as the role of senior officials in these institutions who may have 'aided or abetted the alleged criminal activity; failed to act on credible intelligence or internal warnings; and/or benefited financially or politically from the syndicate's operations'. 'Once established, the Commission shall also consider prima facie evidence relating to the involvement of individuals currently employed within law enforcement or intelligence agencies and, where appropriate, the Commission must make recommendations regarding the employment status of such officials including whether they should be suspended pending the outcome of further investigations,' read the terms of reference. In addition to making recommendations concerning the employment status of implicated individuals, the commission must also evaluate the 'effectiveness or failure of oversight mechanisms' and the adequacy of legislation and policies in preventing criminal infiltration. The Justice Department declined to comment, at this stage, on when the commission is expected to begin its work, saying it will appoint a spokesperson soon. 'Make or break' The terms of reference determine the scope of an inquiry and are decided on (and can be manipulated by) the President, who can also, at any time, amend the terms of reference. 'The terms of reference are make or break. How broad or how narrow they are really determine how the commission will function,' said Mbekezeli Benjamin, research and advocacy officer at Judges Matter. 'The identity of the commissioner obviously also matters, because they set the tone and determine the pace and scope of the commission and have to interpret those terms of reference – so that matters a great deal.' Benjamin said the powers of the commission appear 'quite broad'. 'They have the normal commission powers to summon witnesses; to compel the production of documents. But they may also do search-and-seizure operations, they can deviate from the Commission's Act, I think because of the sensitivity of what they're investigating,' he said. Benjamin added that the timeframe of six months to produce a final report is a tight window to investigate about eight specific institutions, as well as any other institutions within the criminal justice system which may be found to be infiltrated. Ad hoc committee On Wednesday, the National Assembly agreed to establish an ad hoc committee to probe Mkhwanazi's allegations, after a joint meeting of Parliament's police committee and its justice and constitutional development committee had submitted a report recommending its creation. The committees proposed that the ad hoc committee process be concluded within 90 days of its formation. DM
IOL News
19 hours ago
- IOL News
Zondo and SACC urge immediate action as South Africa's corruption crisis escalates
Retired former Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has called on the church to lead anti-corruption efforts as the country battles the scourge of graft, with recent revelations by KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Image: Karen Sandison / Independent Newspapers With the country's anti-corruption fight reflecting a worrying trend, former Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and the South African Council of Churches (SACC) have voiced their widespread condemnation of South Africa's endemic graft, which has now reached critical crisis levels. This comes on the back of a high number of high-profile corruption-related arrests implicating some of the country's leading political figures. The SACC stated that pastors who live and show off their lavish lifestyles at the expense of poor congregants are no different from corrupt politicians. This is as the SACC continues to reflect on the scourge as part of its National Anti-Corruption conference currently under way in Johannesburg. Opposition political parties and analysts have weighed in on the country's dismal attempts at reigning in the scourge. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Zondo, speaking during his address to the conference's delegates on Wednesday, indicated that the bending of rules to favour certain important people was at the heart of the country's corruption problem. "We bend the rules when we have done something wrong because that has happened when it should not have happened. The church must be the one that leads us. It must tell the rest of us not to bend the rules. The rules apply to everybody," he stated. Zondo also questioned the resolution taken by the ANC in 2007 to disband the Scorpions in favour of the Hawks, currently tasked with investigating high-profile cases. The Activists and Citizens Forum, through its spokesperson, Denis Bloem, said corruption will be hard to beat as long as the ANC still holds power. "The country believed that under former president Jacob Zuma's administration, corruption was at its peak. However, the country was mistaken. Corruption is worse now and out of control under President Cyril Ramaphosa's administration. "The reason why there is no end to corruption is that the government is infiltrated by criminals masquerading as political leaders. Meanwhile, they are the biggest thieves. "General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi told the country a few weeks ago that the South African Police Service is infiltrated by criminal syndicates and that some politicians are also on the payroll of these syndicates. Activists and Citizens Forum believe that corruption will not end as long as the ANC is in power. We know this so-called Government of National Unity is just a rubber stamp for the ANC," said Bloem. Reflecting on the excessive levels of corruption and fraud in the country, Rise Mzansi national spokesperson, Mabine Seabe, said the country's problems are not new, adding that all societies are affected by corruption. "Corruption is not a recent phenomenon, nor is it unique to a particular sector of society. What is of alarming concern is that it has taken hold of every aspect of life, where almost every service requires or can be extracted through corrupt means. The Zondo Commission illustrated the industrial nature of corruption with both the private and public sectors lubricating corrupt actions," he said. As for the recent bombshell by KZN Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi, which has implicated senior politicians and the SAPS, Seabe welcomed the recently established Judicial Commission of Inquiry to look into the criminal elements in the country's political elite and the police. "Moreover, the allegations made by Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi point to a nexus between powerful elites and organised crime. "We believe that the Madlanga Judicial Commission of Inquiry and Parliament's Ad Hoc Committee to probe Mkhwanazi's allegations are well-placed to probe the alleged collapse and capture of South Africa's safety, security, and justice apparatus; hold those responsible accountable; and recommend the necessary reforms," Seabe added. Attempts to get a comment from the ANC, which has been accused of failing to root out corruption among its leaders, were unsuccessful at the time of going to print. However, this week, ANC Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula, addressed the recent developments affecting Senzo Mchunu during the ANC's National Working Committee (NWC) meeting with the Provincial Executive Committee, saying the party welcomed Ramaphosa's decision to establish a judicial commission of inquiry to probe the allegations against Mchunu. "Senzo Mchunu has an opportunity now, in terms of the audi alteram partem principle, to also present his side of the story. Once we listen to that, it is also evaluated in terms of facts by a competent, independent judge, and a judicial commission, like the president appointed, then we can pass judgment," he said.
