Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula on Wednesday rebuffed questions on why he would not suspend controversial police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi, saying there is a process in place to deal with the matter.
Responding to a question in the National Assembly on whether he would consider suspending Selebi over the country’s high crime rate, his overall performance and his alleged underworld links, Nqakula gave the commissioner a thumbs-up.
”There is a process that is used to assess the performance of senior managers in the public service. There has never been a rating of [Selebi] from that process that has been so negative as to warrant suspension.
”When [Selebi] assumed office in 1999, crime levels were much higher than now. The downward trend attests to [his] guidance of the police service,” he told MPs, amid much heckling from opposition benches.
He repeated this word for word in response to a similar question, refusing to pronounce on the matter further.
”There is a legal process that is started, designed to look at issues such as the current question. I will not pre-empt the process by comments that will prejudge the matter one way or another.”
The National Prosecuting Authority is currently conducting a review of its investigation of Selebi.
Asked how he would feel if Selebi were arrested tomorrow, Nqakula replied: ”If anyone, from the president down to members of the public service, is guilty of a crime, and there is evidence of that, that person must be arrested and charged.”
Nqakula said he did not want to be involved in an inquisition.
”There are so many allegations being made about so many people, and if we were to say anyone against whom there is an allegation needs to stop the work they are doing, South Africa will grind to a standstill,” he told the House. — Sapa