COME FORWARD WITH INFO ON ALLEGED PENDING ARREST OF PROTECTOR THREATS - URGES MINISTER MTHETHWA   

Minister personally phoned Public Protector to ascertain the merits of this pending arrest

PRETORIA - 07 July 2011.  The Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa today urged anyone, particularly the Independent Newspapers to bring forth evidence or information surrounding the alleged imminent arrest of the Public Protector, Ms Thuli Madonsela as reported yesterday.

The story, headlined Protector ‘faces arrest' alleged that police plan to arrest the Public Protector and that they (The Star newspaper) established this through "independent sources and documented evidence."  The Minister is now calling upon those "independent sources" to come forth if indeed they do exist. 

The Minister was and is not aware of this alleged pending arrest of Ms Madonsela hence he proactively phoned her yesterday to get clarity on these allegations.  "I only learnt about this purported and imminent arrest during a live interview with SAfm following my visit to the Eastern Cape in addressing the issue of mob justice.  I verified with the National Commissioner of Police and he was also unaware of any pending arrest.  In addition, I personally phoned the Public Protector and she informed me that the information she had seen was through the media," stated the Minister.

"It appears someone with malicious intent is out there spearheading a campaign to discredit the South African Police Service (SAPS) and we shall not take this lightly.  I have immediately instructed an immediate investigation into these malicious lies and whoever is responsible must be brought to book.  To this end, we also urge the Independent Newspapers, as the people who broke the allegations, to come forth with information on the merits of their story. Surely if there is any evidence or truth in this pending investigation or imminent arrest, police would have known?" questioned the Minister.

Minister Mthethwa expressed that he finds such allegations not only damaging to the SAPS image but also lacking substantive backing.  "Some people are continuously peddling these negative campaigns which portray the Public Protector as a victim in the eyes of society and the department as the proponent of this victimisation.  This must stop and stop now."

The Minister concluded that any member of society who believes his or her safety is compromised has an obligation to report such to the police, not to the media. 

Statement issued by Zweli Mnisi, Spokesperson to the Minister and Deputy Minister of Police, July 7 2011

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