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/ 15 January 2008

Presidency defends Mbeki action on Selebi

The Presidency on Tuesday defended Thabo Mbeki’s handling of police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi’s case. Addressing reporters at the Union Buildings, Mbeki’s legal adviser, Mojanku Gumbi, said Mbeki acted immediately when he learned that the National Prosecuting Authority was ready to proceed with action against Selebi.

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/ 15 January 2008

DA: Mbeki needs to give explanation over Pikoli saga

President Thabo Mbeki should explain to Parliament why he is reluctant to reinstate suspended National Prosecution Authority head Vusi Pikoli, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Tuesday. ”President Mbeki needs to clarify his position on the DA’s call for him to brief Parliament on his refusal to review his decision to suspend advocate Vusi Pikoli,” the DA said.

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/ 15 January 2008

ANC takes issue with deputy chief justice

The African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) on Tuesday called on Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke to apologise for remarks he made about the party at his birthday celebrations. This comes shortly after an ANC statement saying that Moseneke’s comments showed disdain for delegates at the ANC national conference in December.

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/ 15 January 2008

NPA: No change in status of Selebi case

There was no change in the status of the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) position on its investigation into police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi, the NPA said on Tuesday. ”There is no change,” said NPA spokesperson Tlali Tlali. Selebi is on leave and has resigned his post as head of Interpol.

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/ 14 January 2008

Police move to reassure South Africa

South Africa’s embattled police force on Monday sought to reassure the crime-ridden country after a weekend that saw its police chief placed on extended leave in a widening corruption scandal. The South African Police Service was under intense public scrutiny before it was disclosed last week that Jackie Selebi would face charges of corruption and defeating the course of justice.

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/ 14 January 2008

Charges against Gerrie Nel withdrawn

Charges against Gerrie Nel, the head of the Directorate of Special Operations, or the Scorpions, in Gauteng, were withdrawn in the Pretoria Regional Court on Monday. ”After careful consideration of the evidence in the docket, the decision was made to withdraw the charges,” chief prosecutor Matric Lupondo said during Nel’s brief appearance.

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/ 14 January 2008

NPA meets to consider Selebi options

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) will meet this week to discuss how to proceed with their case against police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi, a spokesperson said. On Friday Selebi failed to secure an urgent application in the Pretoria High Court to stop the investigation against him.

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/ 14 January 2008

Selebi’s lawyers wait for court date

Police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi’s legal team were on Monday waiting for a date for a hearing for his application to stop the investigation against him, after last week’s attempt to have it heard urgently failed. ”The judge president must provide a date for a full bench,” said Selebi’s advocate Jaap Cilliers.

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/ 13 January 2008

Mbeki appoints acting police commissioner

Police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi has been granted an extended leave of absence, President Thabo Mbeki said on Saturday. Speaking at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, Mbeki said Selebi had requested the leave himself. This follows Friday’s revelations by the National Prosecuting Authority that it was ready to charge Selebi with corruption, fraud, money laundering and racketeering.

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/ 12 January 2008

Selebi quits as Interpol chief

Police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi has quit as head of international crime-fighting body Interpol, the organisation said on Sunday. The news follows President Thabo Mbeki’s announcement on Saturday that Selebi, who faces allegations of corruption, fraud, racketeering and defeating the ends of justice, was going on extended leave of absence.

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/ 10 January 2008

Cops: NPA tried to prevent Nel prosecution

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) made a ”concerted effort” to undermine investigations into Scorpions boss Gerrie Nel and prevent his prosecution, Gauteng police said on Thursday. In a statement, Superintendent Lungelo Dlamini said prosecutors had refused to look at evidence presented to them in September, which implicated Nel in criminal activity.

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/ 10 January 2008

Selebi moves to block NPA

Police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi’s bid to stop the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) from proceeding with prosecution against him will be heard in the Pretoria High Court on Friday. Selebi has brought an urgent application seeking more information about the charges the NPA intends levelling against him.

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/ 9 January 2008

Nel arrest warrant ‘hazy’, says lawyer

Gerrie Nel, the head of the Directorate of Special Operations in Gauteng — also known as the Scorpions — who was released on bail on Wednesday following his dramatic arrest by police the night before, hopes to be back in his post on Thursday. Nel was arrested at his Pretoria home in front of his wife and children at about on Tuesday night.

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/ 9 January 2008

DA: Nel arrest a ‘witch-hunt’

The arrest of Gauteng Scorpions boss Gerrie Nel is a witch-hunt to protect police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi, said the Democratic Alliance on Wednesday. ”The axing of Vusi Pikoli and now Gerrie Nel has all the appearance of a witch-hunt to protect Selebi,” said DA spokesperson on Safety and Security Dianne Kohler Barnard.

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/ 9 January 2008

See you in court, arms firm tells NPA

Jacob Zuma’s two co-accused — the two South African subsidiaries of French arms manufacturer Thales International — are not making any plans to go to court before the August date set by the National Prosecuting Authority [NPA]. ”We will meet them [the NPA] on the 4th of August,” said lawyer Ajay Sooklal.

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/ 9 January 2008

Govt’s submission on Pikoli ‘too bare’

The government revised its submission to the Ginwala inquiry into the suspension of National Prosecuting Authority boss Vusi Pikoli after its first draft did not contain enough information, a media report said on Wednesday. The report said Pikoli’s advocate Wim Trengove had complained that the government’s submission was ”too bare”.

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/ 8 January 2008

Arms deal: ANC works to avoid ‘thumb-suck’

The African National Congress (ANC) will appoint an ad-hoc committee to draw up a ”detailed factual report” on the arms deal, the party announced in Johannesburg on Tuesday. ”We are not asking for the re-opening of the arms deal. We need to get a detailed formal report … to take informed decisions,” party secretary general Gwede Mantashe told journalists.

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/ 8 January 2008

ANC stands by Zuma despite charges

Top leaders of the African National Congress said on Tuesday they had ”grave misgivings” about the timing and handling of corruption charges against newly elected leader Jacob Zuma. Zuma has been charged with fraud, corruption, money laundering, racketeering and tax evasion.

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/ 7 January 2008

Minister: Don’t blame me over Selebi delay

Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Brigitte Mabandla on Monday rejected as ”untrue” reports that she had delayed the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) decision on whether or not to charge police National Commissioner Jackie Selebi. The NPA ”does not have to get any permission from the minister”, said Mabandla’s spokesperson.

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/ 7 January 2008

ANC heavyweights get down to business

The African National Congress’s national executive committee will meet for the first time on Monday since being elected at the party’s national conference in Polokwane. Items on the agenda include the National Prosecuting Authority’s decision to charge new ANC president Jacob Zuma with fraud and corruption.

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/ 6 January 2008

ANC to discuss Zuma’s graft case

The corruption charge against Jacob Zuma, the new head of the African National Congress (ANC), is on the agenda of the first meeting since his election of the party’s national executive council on Monday, the party secretary general said on Sunday. ”The corruption charge against Zuma is on the agenda,” Gwede Mantashe, said.