VIP protection for NDZ: Mbalula must answer to Parliament about "threats"

The DA condemns, as an appalling abuse of police resources, the ongoing VIP protection afforded to Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Ms Dlamini-Zuma holds no position in South Africa's government and is not a visiting head of state. She is, at present, just an ANC party official.

The SAPS in a statement argued that Dlamini-Zuma has received "threats," as such, the DA will submit parliamentary questions to Police Minister Fikile Mbalula to ask him to justify this costly VIP protection for a person who is plainly not a VIP and for him to explain these "threats."

The DA questions will include:

1. On what dates was Ms Dlamini-Zuma threatened and to what level these threats extend;

2. How many threat assessments have been conducted and on what dates respectively; and

3. What is the cost of the VIP protection for Ms Dlamini-Zuma to date?

If public money is to be spent on protecting an ANC official, then the public must be informed of what serious "threats" exist against Dlamini-Zuma, to justify expensive protection. The SAPS would be required to keep a detailed record of these threats, and Mbalula must make this known to Parliament.

At a time when public safety is increasingly under threat from brazen criminals, when army bases and police stations are themselves being robbed, cash van bandits are using explosives on highways and when OR Tambo international airport could be robbed of millions of rands undetected, it is clear that policing priories should be on protecting the public from criminals, not on protecting another ANC official.

Dlamini-Zuma is proving herself to be another Zuma from the start; using state resources and public money with no regard for the rules.

This smacks of a public-sponsored VIP status to boost Dlamini-Zuma's stature as she campaigns within the ANC.

The DA expects answers from Mbalula, and South Africa deserves to know why an ANC official is receiving VIP protection at public expense, with no justification made known yet.

Statement issued by Zakhele Mbhele MP, DA Shadow Minister of Police, 15 April 2017

Update:

Public Protector must investigate abuse of state resources by NDZ protection

The DA will write to the Public Protector to ask that she urgently investigate the use of state resources to provide VIP protection to Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma despite the fact that she holds no position that would justify such protection.

Reports today make it clear that there are spurious ‘security threats’ on which the Minister of Police, Fikile Mbalula, is relying to justify this protection. Indeed, it is clear that she was receiving VIP protection prior to her arrival at the hotel where the supposed ‘threat’ occurred.

The fact that he will not come out and make clear the true basis of these supposed threats make us increasingly concerned that there is an abuse of state resources at play.

Ms Dlamini-Zuma is a firm contender in the succession race for ANC presidency. It cannot be that between now and December she will be provided VIP protection at taxpayer expense, essentially as preferential treatment in an internal party race.

There are vital policing resource issues around South Africa which need attention. South African citizens face threats from criminals in their homes and on our streets on a daily basis and yet a Zuma favourite is provided protection for unsubstantiated threats instead of our people.

The Public Protector needs to investigate this as a matter of urgency to ensure that any abuse of state resources is stopped.

Statement issued by Zakhele Mbhele MP, DA Shadow Minister of Police, 16 April 2017