Action Society called out Fikile Mbalula for failing to bring former Hawks boss, Berning Ntlemeza to justice and renewed its call to ban perpetrators from power after Mbalula’s predecessor, Ace Magashule launched his new political party with Ntlemeza quick to join.
Action Society pointed out that Mbalula was quick to step into Magashule’s shoes as Secretary of the ANC when Magashule was expelled from the ANC pending criminal charges against him, yet Mbalula did nothing to oversee his predecessor’s prosecution. In fact, Mbalula’s failure to oversee Mashatule’s case, enabled him to register a political party. Magashule is currently out on bail after his arrest in November 2020 for his role in the Free State asbestos scandal which cost taxpayers R225 million.
Similarly, Mbalula was quick to denounce Ntlemeza’s announcement that he was joining Magashule’s party, even boasting that he dismissed Ntlemeza five years ago when he was still Minister of Police. Yet, Mbalula, failed to follow through on Ntlemeza’s dismissal with criminal charges, enabling him to join Mashatule’s party. Ntlemeza was dismissed from his station at the Hawks in 2017 after Mbalula received a ruling from the High Court which declared his appointment as unlawful and invalid. This came after Ntlemeza was part of an in depth investigation from IPID on four complaints including obstruction of justice and corruption.
“Mbalula himself is far from being an innocent man, but is now hiding behind ANC talking points to deflect from his own failures. He himself is knee-deep in a R3 million scandal involving questionable loans. Him calling out Ntlemeza or Magashule is the pot calling the kettle black,” according to Ian Cameron, Director of Community Safety at Action Society. The problem is that we have perpetrators in high positions in every department. We cannot fight against crime and corruption if the corrupt is in power. We call for no perpetrators in power. That means no Magashule, no Ntlemeza, no Mbalula and definitely no Bheki Cele”
Photo: Twitter: @MbalulaFikile