KwaZulu-Natal police commissioners who have been accused of being inept during the July unrest have taken a swipe back at the former defence minister and her generals for giving instructions from a five-star hotel while the province was burning.
Speaking at the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) hearings into the unrest on Tuesday, the seemingly agitated provincial commissioner, Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, also took a jab at those who questioned the family responsibility leave he was granted when his wife was in labour in July when the riots and looting were still continuing.
Former minister of defence Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula had previously told the commission how the police in KZN had not been co-operative with the army and that they could not provide the intelligence which would have helped them managed the unrest.
However, on Tuesday Mkhwanazi and his deputy Maj-Gen Phumelele Makoba disputed this, saying Mapisa-Nqakula along with the ministers of state security [Ayanda Dlodlo at the time] and police minister [Bheki Cele] held several meetings at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Durban with the police and senior army personnel.
“I started acting as the provincial commissioner from 17th of July. We had all communication with all the forces from the metro police, SANDF and everyone who was involved in the operation. I am not aware of any disintegration or non-cooperation between SAPS and SANDF. I have on my phone records WhatsApp messages, apart from phone calls and physical meetings, with Colonel Nyalunga,” said Makoba.
“We had a very good working relationship. There were no gaps until the weekend of the 18th [July] when Col Nyalunga indicated to me that there are generals of the SANDF that have been deployed from head office and I got to meet the generals at the Beverley Hills [Hotel],” said Makoba.
“I was not invited. At the time the national office had deployed Maj-Gen Zulu to come assist the province considering what was happening. When we heard that the generals were at Beverley Hills, we went there uninvited and met the generals and they welcomed us with open hands.
“We had a meeting and discussed our issues and where the threats are and where we needed them to be deployed. After that meeting on the Sunday evening around 9pm, we were introduced by the generals to the then-minister of defence and the minister of state security [Ayanda Dlodlo] in one of the boardrooms in the hotel. We had a meeting there until late evening,” added Makoba.
Makoba had taken over from Mkhwanazi, who had to go to Pretoria to assist his expecting wife.
“On the 18th [July] I had a planned leave where my wife was going to give birth and she was in Pretoria alone. She was scheduled to go to the hospital on Monday the 19th. I had already indicated to her that ‘things are so difficult in this province and I don’t think I am going to be there when you give birth. That’s how difficult things are.’ And she made peace with it.”
He said by the 15th of July the situation was calm and he told the national commissioner and minister that he’d take leave to help his wife give birth and get a safer place to stay. “My leave was scheduled for three weeks but I did not take three weeks,” said Mkhwanazi.
On July 18 he drove to Pretoria and on Monday his wife gave birth before she was discharged on Friday.
“On Saturday my daughter was four days old. I took her and my wife into the vehicle and drove with them just over 100km to my in-laws at a place of safety which is outside KZN. I had to leave them there. I left my wife there and I got into an aeroplane back to work. So that’s the sacrifice I made because I love the job I am doing.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.