13 hours ago
DA welcomes arrest of crime intelligence head, other top cops
The DA has welcomed the arrest of head of crime intelligence Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo and three other top figures in the crime intelligence division.
The DA said others who had been arrested were Brig Daniel Ncube, Brig Nozipho Madondo and a Maj-Gen Gabela.
'This is a welcomed step in rescuing an organisation on the brink of collapse. This points to yet another serious breach of trust within a critical state institution tasked with performing our nation's policing functions and mandate,' DA spokesperson on state security Dianne Kohler Barnard said.
She said the DA will undertake a watching brief on the case.
'In February of this year, the DA wrote to the inspector-general of intelligence, Imtiaz Fazel, after it was uncovered that crime intelligence allegedly spent R22.8m on the purchase of a highly questionable commercial property in Berea, Durban, and R22.7m on a luxury boutique hotel in Pretoria North.'
She said these purchases were allegedly authorised by crime intelligence CFO Maj-Gen Philani Lushaba and Khumalo.
'These properties were purchased and seem to be just a tip of the iceberg which, being revealed, threatens to sink crime intelligence once and for all,' she said.
Barnard said just over 10 days ago, Maj-Gen Lushaba, the CFO of the crime intelligence division, handed himself over to police after it emerged that a sex worker had allegedly stolen his state-issued firearm and laptop. He subsequently lied about the matter which led to his eventual arrest.
'We expect more arrests to follow of very high-ranking and senior police officials. After years of Zuma-era state capture and corruption Crime Intelligence essentially became a cash cow for Zuma-aligned cronies.
'We call on minister Senzo Mchunu to ensure that the full might of the law prevails and that these arrests lead to the imprisonment of those found guilty of wrongdoing.
'The DA hoped that at last crime intelligence was rising out of the Richard Mdluli era, but sadly for South Africa, that is not the case,' she said.
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