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IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
Should SAPS bosses undergo lifestyle audits? Ian Cameron reacts to arrest of crime intelligence boss Dumisani Khumalo
SAPS divisional commissioner for crime intelligence, Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo appeared in court on Friday, after he was arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport on Thursday. Image: SAPS The South African Police Service (SAPS) divisional commissioner for crime intelligence, Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo is on Friday expected to appear before the Pretoria Magistrate's Court after he was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on Thursday. In an interview with IOL, chairperson of Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron said apart from Khumalo, there are other senior SAPS officers arrested and it seems there are more arrests on the way. IOL understands Khumalo appeared before the court on Friday morning, facing charges relating to corruption, after he was nabbed by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC). 'Firstly, it is important to say we welcome the arrest of several SAPS senior officers that happened yesterday (Thursday). I think it is likely the tip of the iceberg, I think they might be more coming. 'Just as a recommendation from our side, the Portfolio Committee on Police, we feel strongly that there must be a far bigger inquiry to institute Section 34 inquiries per the SA Police Service Act to determine the fitness to hold office of many, many senior officers. I think over the years, a lot of unwanted elements have entered the South African Police Service for the wrong reasons and they have become part and parcel of the organised crime problem that we see,' Cameron told IOL. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. 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 emphasised that the rule of law and due process must apply to all citizens, and the accused people be given fair opportunity to defend themselves before the courts. 'It is also important for us, from the portfolio committee's point of view, that lifestyle audits, Section 34 inquiries and simple integrity tests are done to determine whether there is any further involvement with serious misconduct, especially criminal misconduct in the South African Police Service. 'It really is an indictment on the management of the SAPS that so many senior officers could be arrested and charged for what seems to be corruption without them (the management) knowing what was going on. I unfortunately do not believe that they didn't know. I think for a very long time, things have been happening but were simply not attended to,' said Cameron. Last month, IOL reported that Major-General Philani Lushaba, the Chief Financial Officer of the South African Police Service (SAPS) Crime Intelligence unit, had allegedly vanished just as authorities were preparing to question him about his involvement in financial misconduct linked to properties valued at over R45 million. According to the Democratic Alliance (DA) member of Parliament, Dianne Kohler Barnard, Lushaba failed to report for duty on the morning of 6 June. Barnard said the alleged disappearance comes just as the National Prosecuting Authority's (NPA) Investigating Directorate sought to question him, reportedly over a multi-million Rand property scandal.
IOL News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Victims of apartheid-era violations urge Mbeki and ex-minister to await TRC commission
Former president Thabo Mbeki and ex-Justice minister Brigitte Mabandla want to intervene in the case brought by survivors and families of victims of apartheid-era atrocities, who are demanding answers on why cases referred to the NPA and the police by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission were never pursued. Image: DIRCO Former president Thabo Mbeki and former Justice minister Brigitte Mabandla must wait for the commission of inquiry into the failure to prosecute cases referred by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to set the record straight. This is the response by the families of victims and survivors of apartheid-era crimes to Mbeki and Mabandla's application to intervene in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, is an application challenging the government's conduct in unlawfully refraining and/or obstructing the investigation and/or prosecution of apartheid-era cases referred by the TRC to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). Additionally, the families and survivors of apartheid-era gross human rights violations also want the high court to declare that the conduct amounting to unlawfully abandoning or undermining these cases violated their rights to equality, dignity, and the right to life and bodily integrity as enshrined in the Constitution. In the application, the families and survivors have asked the high court to declare the state's failure to prosecute the cases inconsistent with the country's constitutional values and the rule of law as enshrined in the Constitution. According to the families and survivors, unlawfully refraining and/or obstructing the investigation and/or prosecution of apartheid-era cases referred by the TRC is inconsistent with South Africa's international law obligations and the principles, values and obligations arising from the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act, read with the postscript to the 1993 interim Constitution. They also complain that the government's conduct was in breach of the duties and obligations contained in the Constitution, the NPA Act, and the SA Police Service Act to investigate and prosecute serious crime, and not to interfere with the legal duties of prosecutors and law enforcement officers. In response to Mbeki and Mabandla's application to intervene, Lukhanyo Calata, the son of the late Fort Calata who, along with Matthew Goniwe, Sicelo Mhlauli, and Sparrow Mkonto, became known posthumously as the Cradock Four, the former president and erstwhile minister have no direct and substantial interest in the main application, given that no relief is sought against them in their personal capacities. 'The relief they seek is against the current President (Cyril Ramaphosa) and the Minister of Justice (Mmamoloko Kubayi), both of whom have been cited as respondents in the main application,' Calata stated. The Cradock Four were abducted, tortured, murdered, and their bodies burned by the Security Branch of the apartheid-era SA Police on June 27, 1985. Calata said if Mbeki and Mabandla wish to set the record straight, the commission of inquiry established by Ramaphosa is the appropriate forum. 'It is that body which will have the power to investigate allegations and make findings. The president has already undertaken to establish the aforesaid commission by the end of May,' he explained. Mbeki and Mabandla had expressed their unhappiness with serious allegations of unconstitutional, unlawful, and criminal conduct against them, which they believe are highly defamatory and damaging to their dignity and reputations, and indicated that their character is beyond all price. Calata stated that this was not the first time that Mbeki attempted to intervene in proceedings in which he felt aspersions had been cast upon his character and that in an earlier matter also dealing with claims of political interference, the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed his application on the grounds that negative findings or disparagement do not constitute a direct or substantial interest to intervene.
