Paul Kirk
The newly appointed director of Durban Metro Police, Henry Manzi, has been investigated in a fraud probe totalling nearly R1-million.
Manzi’s fortunes are going from bad to worse. He is also accused of having charges relating to traffic offences committed by his uncle, Jabulani Manzi, dropped.
The Mail & Guardian has learned from impeccable sources in the office of the provincial director of public prosecutions that Henry Manzi features in an investigation into a massive fraud perpetrated against the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education.
The investigation has been completed and the docket forwarded to the director of public prosecutions for a decision on whether to prosecute.
Manzi had signing powers for an account used to defraud the department of nearly R1-million. At the time the scheme was dubbed “the Phantom textbook case” by police.
A network of insiders within the Department of Education allegedly generated false documentation confirming that textbooks, which had not even been printed, had been received in good order by the department.
At the time of the alleged fraud Manzi was employed by the South African Police Service. He did not have permission to work for any other government department.
If Manzi is prosecuted, he will be the first ever chief of Durban’s municipal police to be charged with a serious criminal offence while in office.
Opposition political parties in Durban, most vocally the Democratic Alliance, have called for an investigation into Manzi and are demanding his head if he is found guilty of wrongdoing.
Last week the M&G reported how Manzi had irregularly released his uncle from police custody before he could be charged with reckless driving and bribery.
After Jabulani Manzi was arrested, he was taken to Point Road police station to be formally charged.
However, Manzi arrived at the police station and demanded his release. Manzi also instructed his uncle to open a case of assault against the young policeman who arrested him.
Had Manzi not interfered in the case, his uncle would have spent the night in jail.
The M&G has established that Jabulani Manzi owes more than R4 500 in various traffic fines. He also has two warrants for his arrest outstanding. These are for contempt of court cases where Jabulani Manzi failed to appear in court where he was to face charges for serious traffic offences.
Jabulani Manzi is employed by the Department of Education the same department his police officer nephew is alleged to have conspired to defraud. He also owns at least six minibus taxis. Jabulani Manzi does not appear to have permission from the Department of Education to operate his taxis.
When the M&G visited Jabulani Manzi’s office in Aliwal Street, education department employees said he was very rarely at work due to the pressures of running his taxi fleet.
Attempts to contact him on his office phone over three days were unsuccessful. Messages were also left on his cellphone describing the article about to be published, but the calls were not returned.
Director Henry Manzi was not in his office this week. Staff at the metro police refused to provide his telephone numbers.