Mbalula must clean up SAPS leadership
30 October 2017
The DA is not surprised by revelations that the Minister of Police, Fikile Mbalula, is in possession of a memorandum by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) detailing allegations that Acting National Police Commissioner (NPC), Lieutenant General Lesetja Mothiba, incited subordinates to defy lawful instructions from Mbalula.
Reports further allege that Mothiba sent senior officers to Brooklyn Police Station to retrieve a docket in which he is a suspect, discussed this docket with his Intelligence Adviser and wrote to Mbalula recommending that the complainant in the matter, a senior Crime Intelligence official, be dismissed from his position.
Mbalula must come clean about the truth of these allegations and, if found to be true, he must urge President Jacob Zuma to fire Mothiba, as the President is the one responsible for the hiring and firing of the NPC.
We have long held that instability, integrity deficits and incompetence in the South African Police Service (SAPS) leadership is having a negative impact on the crime-fighting effectiveness of the police service.