Action Society welcomes the arrest of the former police commissioner, Lt Gen Kgomotso Phalane and other high-ranking generals in the Crime Intelligence Division over an R54-million procurement scandal spanning years.
“This procurement deal ended up costing the previous national commissioner, Lt Gen Khehla Sitole, his job. I believe his arrest should follow soon along with the probe of the now transport minister, Fikile Mbalula. Minister Mbalula was not only named for involvement by Sitole but was also the police minister in those years.
“We have been saying for some time that the police service must be cleaned up from top to bottom as a priority,” said Ian Cameron, director of community safety at Action Society. “This scandal proves why crime intelligence is lacking in the country – because those in charge are the actual criminals.”
In addition to the said charges, the former police commissioner allegedly used some of the systems to shield other acts of corruption, for which he is currently before court. The suspects were also involved in a money laundering scheme to bribe voting delegates at the ANC’s 2017 conference. Earlier this year, this scandal led to the axing of Sitole.
The six suspects will appear in the Pretoria Commercial Crimes Court this morning.
“Their punishment must be swift and stand as a warning to other corrupt police officials,” said Cameron. “Action Society hopes this will be the start of ridding the police force of people trying to use it as an endless source of extravagant income instead of securing the safety of South Africans.”
