Police Corruption Committee Flags Governance Failures Among Top Officials
The Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations of police corruption has not made criminal findings against the country’s top police officials, but has raised concerns about governance and the conduct of senior leaders.
The committee is nearing completion of its long-delayed report after considering submissions from political parties, including the African National Congress (ANC).
Masemola Facing Governance Finding
The ANC has proposed that the committee’s draft report find National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola should have rejected an instruction to impose a moratorium on appointments in Crime Intelligence.
The party argued that the instruction was unlawful and that Masemola, as national commissioner, had a constitutional obligation not to implement it.
ANC Chief Whip Mdumiseni Ntuli said the party’s position was not intended to target Masemola personally, but to highlight what it considered a legal obligation on the national commissioner.
The ANC said Masemola should have formally raised his concerns with the minister rather than implementing the instruction.
Mchunu Also Faces Adverse Finding
The ANC has also supported an adverse finding against Minister on Special Leave Senzo Mchunu over his directive to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).
Ntuli said the party considered Mchunu’s actions on the matter to have been unlawful.
The ANC’s position means the party has not sought to shield either of the senior officials from criticism in the committee’s findings.
Sibiya Governance Concerns
The committee has also considered the conduct of suspended Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya.
While no criminal conduct was found against Sibiya, the committee flagged concerns relating to internal governance and his conduct within the police service.
The committee is expected to finalise its report after considering the various political parties’ submissions and recommendations.
The report will determine the committee’s final findings on the governance and conduct issues involving senior police officials.