Former acting national police commissioner Gen Khomotso Phahlane on Wednesday appeared before the ad hoc committee probing allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Mkhwanazi told the nation during a media briefing in July last year that the police system had been infiltrated by criminal cartels.
He said the suspended police minister and suspended deputy police commissioner had been influenced by criminal cartels to issue directives to disband the political killings task team in December 2024.
Here are five things that came out of Phahlane’s testimony:
- Former police minister Fikile Mbalula irrationally and unlawfully dismissed him due to “baseless” allegations of misconduct, corruption and bringing the organisation into disrepute.
- In 2018, SAPS paid more than R24m to settle arbitration by the Ethemba forensic group on a tender for 60 3D cameras.
- Political interference in the administration and operations increased after the ANC Polokwane conference, which nominated Jacob Zuma as ANC president, with police officers with struggle credentials showing their loyalty to political leaders and parties.
- Private investigator Paul O’Sullivan and former Independent Police Investigative Directorate head Robert McBride captured SAPS and ruined his reputation through fabricated stories to prevent him being appointed national commissioner.
- The late former police minister Nathi Mthethwa interfered with the interview process of senior appointments in SAPS.
The committee is expected to hear from the head of crime intelligence, Gen Dumisani Khumalo, on Thursday.
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