Pressure is mounting for an investigation into the kwaZulu Police as its former chief alleges the existence of hit squads, reports Farouk Chothia
DIVISIONS and rivalry in the kwaZulu Police are blowing the force wide open, with outgoing commissioner General Roy During making the most serious allegations yet about ”hit squad” activity in the force.
During has resigned after only two years of leading this force, saying he was ”almost certain” of the existence of ”hit squads” in the force — and called for steps to be taken to prosecute culprits on the basis of evidence compiled by the Goldstone Commission and the now-defunct Transitional Executive Council (TEC).
Coming from the commissioner himself, these allegations put immense pressure on Safety and Security Minister Sydney Mufamadi to act firmly on the repeated allegations of miscondunct in the KZP.
In an interview, During said he had discussed the issue of ”hit squads” with senior government negotiator Dawie de Villiers, who is also in President Nelson Mandela’s cabinet, before the April election — and warned him against being ”complacent”.
During said he believes instructions for the ”hit squads” came from ”higher officials” — and those arrested thus far were ”just kids”.
He added that he could not say whether this ”higher authority” had come from within the KZP, the government or a political party.
Deputy KZP commissioner Major-General Sipho Mathe’s name is mentioned in a TEC report on ”hit squads”. He is accused of ”disgraceful conduct” and ”cover-ups” on behalf of ”hit squad” policemen. The TEC report recommended his immediate suspension.
With During on leave since a fortnight ago, and retiring at the end of the month, Mathe is the acting KZP commissioner.
The Mail & Guardian had also reported earlier this year that the Goldstone Commission has information linking kwaZulu/Natal Minister of Safety and Security Celani Mthethwa to renegade South African policemen. It was alleged that Mthethwa had received weapons from the policemen — charges he denied at the time.
In their reaction this week, Mthethwa and Mathe denied the existence of ”hit squads”.
Mathe slammed During for making ”mischievous” claims and Mthethwa said During had ample time to provide proof of the allegations and should have done so during his two-year stint as commissioner.
During said while he was ”almost certain” of the existence of other ”hit squads”, he learnt of ”one hit squad operating in the KZP following the arrest last year of three junior officers and two civilians at Esikhawini.
”I don’t believe they were acting on their own. They had to have received orders from a higher authority,” added During.
Caprivi-trained KZP member Gcina Mkhize and Romeo Mbambo and Thembinkosi Mthethwa were arrested last year in connection with the murder of six people. They appeared earlier this year in the Mthunzini Magistrate’s Court where, in a dramatic twist, an ANC-aligned lawyer apppeared on their behalf to reveal that they would be applying for indemnity.
During does not rate the arrest of the Mkhize squad highly.
”Even when I went to the TEC (in February), I asked Dawie de Villiers not to be complacent because those arrests were just chicken-feed,” said During.
But During added that other police officers were at the time satisfied with the arrests and believed the investigation was complete.
However, During said that at a recent meeting he attended with senior SAP officers, including deputy commissioner General Johan Swart and Natal regional commissioner Lieutenant General Colin Steyn, there was an undertaking to ”revitalise” investigations into ”hit squad” allegations.
During said the ”apparently vital evidence” in the possession of the Goldstone Commission and the TEC needed to be handed over to the police or another independent body capable of prosecuting the offenders.
Claiming that he was never privy to the evidence behind the various reports of the Goldstone Commission and the TEC, During said: ”People say this list has appeared in a newspaper — why don’t you make some arrests? But on what grounds do you act? A newspaper article does not qualify as evidence.”
Sources revealed that During and Mathe never saw eye-to-eye. The two clashed over During’s decision to give the SAP the go-ahead to investigate the Mkhize-led ”hit squad”.
During said his attempts to ”clean-up” the KZP were frustrated time and again by ”senior officers” whom he declined to name.
”Over a period of time when you realise that your instructions have not been completely obeyed you realise you’re not getting the support you should be,” added During.
He said the KZP could not conduct its own investigation into the ”hit squad” allegations as the level of ”intimidation” within the force was too high.
During said he had received a flow of telephonic death threats and knows of other officers who received similar calls.
He said he believes the ”mutinous strikes” that plagued the KZP in recent weeks had been ochestrated by senior members of the force who wanted to sabotage the amalgamation of the KZP into the SAP.