A military intelligence officer who allegedly forewarned his superiors about last month’s bomb blasts in Soweto will be tried for misconduct following an incident of alleged insubordination on
an unrelated matter.
SA National Defence Force representative Lieutenant Ronald Maseko said in Pretoria on Tuesday that Lieutenant-Colonel Goodman Manyanya Phiri would appear in a military court on Thursday for allegedly contravening military regulations last year.
Phiri, a senior officer in Defence Intelligence, allegedly told SA Army chief instructor Colonel Jan Kleynhans during a staff course on February 6 last year: ”You are a racist. I hate racists.”
Maseko said the charges against Phiri from this incident included the alleged use of threatening, insubordinate and insulting language, and displaying riotous or unseemly behaviour.
On March 6 and 7 of the same year, Phiri allegedly went absent without leave and disobeyed a lawful command. Maseko confirmed that Phiri claimed to have told his superiors beforehand that Soweto would be the target of a series of bomb blasts.
He also sent a letter to this effect to the presidency, which was referred to the SANDF. Nine explosions, thought to be the work of right-wing elements, damaged infrastructure and claimed the life of a woman in the township, south of Johannesburg, last month.
”The officer’s superiors apparently know nothing about the purported warning but an internal investigation into his claims is continuing,” Maseko said. – Sapa