DURBAN - The Durban High Court has dismissed an urgent application by businessman Calvin Mathibeli to interdict police from searching his premises.
Mathibeli launched legal action in an attempt to prevent the police from conducting a firearms compliance inspection at his company premises in Durban.
On 11 March he received a notice from police on a scheduled compliance inspection at his premised under the banner of ‘Operation Buyisa’.
The court found that Mathibeli’s application lacked urgency and dismissed it with costs. He was also ordered to pay legal costs to the SAPS.
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The court’s decision against Mathibeli is a second legal blow, in February, the owner of Calvin and Family Security Services was ordered to apologise and retract allegations he made that provincial police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi was “a criminal or corrupt” and involved in illegal killings.
The order followed an urgent application brought by Mkhwanazi in his personal capacity after Mathibeli accused him of harassment, intimidation and illegal raids after officers had searched his properties.
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In a statement, police said members of Operation Buyisa will on Thursday proceed with the planned compliance inspection at Mathibeli’s business premises.
“In combating gun-related violence, SAPS is intensifying efforts against the proliferation of firearms by conducting licence and compliance inspections at security companies holding firearms,” the police said.