The unit investigating alleged corruption among eThekwini metro police is keeping a tight lid on investigations that could have serious implications for high-ranking officers, some of them connected to the African National Congress’s (ANC) powerful eThekwini region.
The Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) recently arrested non-uniformed police officer Dees Govender on charges of corruption, bribery, defeating the ends of justice and impersonating a police officer. Govender had allegedly accepted bribes.
Speeding fines and other traffic violations were allegedly quashed by Govender for a few individuals and large companies.
An informed source said the probe is at a ”sensitive” stage. He intimated that ICD investigators feel compelled to keep information secure from other police units — including the metro police’s internal affairs division (IAD), which was moved recently to the office of the municipal ombudsman — because the outcomes could implicate high-ranking officials both in and outside the metro police.
Municipal manager Mike Sutcliffe dismissed claims that moving the IAD amounted to its disbanding, and claimed the restructuring was in the interests of ”good governance”.
According to a reliable police source, Govender ”had climbed quickly up the ranks because of his close relationship with metro police chief Eugene Nzama”.
”He jumped up the ranks to become public relations officer very quickly,” the source said.
While Sutcliffe had dismissed media reports that Govender had filled the post — stating that his ”substantive position” was serving as an administrative clerk — Govender was, as recently as February this year, still commenting to local media on police-related issues.
Govender was also the acting project manager in charge of processing fines for Emtateni Logistics, the company tasked with providing the city with a new park-and-display parking-meter system in December 2005 — two years after initially planned because of investigations into alleged irregularities in the R30-million tender process.
Emtateni was forced to upgrade its parking meters in April this year after being threatened with court action by the Legal Resources Centre, which said in a letter to Emtateni’s lawyers that the machines did not give change or parking time in proportion to the money deposited. This was tantamount to theft, said the letter.
Emtateni’s chairperson is Prince Sifiso Zulu, a businessman with strong links to aspirant ANC president Jacob Zuma and other politicians in the eThekwini region.
”We have always voiced concerns about Sifiso Zulu’s relationship with certain members of the municipality, and various other tenders and positions he seems to get,” said John Steenhuisen, the leader of the Democratic Alliance caucus.
Steenhuisen and Inkatha Freedom Party councillor Gladwin Ndlela had, in April this year, requested a report detailing the city’s relationship with Zulu. He said none had been forthcoming.
Sutcliffe said an investigation into Govender’s appointment at Emtateni had begun because of ”human resources and procedural concerns”. He would not be drawn on what these concerns were and was unable to say when the report would be finalised.
Attempts by the M&G to reach Govender were unsuccessful. Police sources said that his cellphones were confiscated and that he did not have a land line.