The Democratic Alliance (DA) criticised the Tshwane metro police chief on Friday for supporting police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi, saying it is unprofessional.
DA councillor Karen Meyer said in a statement that it was ”with utmost dismay” that the DA had noted metro police chief Hlula Msimang’s public support of Selebi.
Meyer was responding to a statement issued by the municipal police chiefs on Thursday that they supported Selebi.
”The five metro police chiefs, in sharing in the sentiments conveyed by the nine provincial police commissioners, wish to state emphatically that they have absolute confidence in the leadership and the integrity of the police commissioner,” read the statement.
”We commend the office of the commissioner of police for remaining unfazed in the face of the scurrilous statements [that] have been bandied around in the recent weeks,” said the police chiefs, praising him for not engaging in a public spat despite the ”outrageous and unsubstantiated allegations levelled against him”.
They said they were confident Selebi will be vindicated.
Meanwhile, Meyer questioned Msimang’s involvement in making such a statement.
”The DA would like to know from Chief Msimang what mandate he had to speak on behalf of the Tshwane metro police?” she said.
Meyer said that the gesture by Msimang confirmed that ”more time is spent on certain political relationships … [than] doing what the residents of this city need, namely ensuring their safety”.
”To make a public statement in support of the national police commissioner as a senior official in the Tshwane Council is, to say the least, utterly unprofessional and personal,” she said. — Sapa