JOHANNESBURG - ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has, once again, noted with concern the comments made by KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police Commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Mbalula says these allegations touch on the integrity of the criminal justice system and the constitutional obligation of the state to protect all South Africans.
He called upon President Cyril Ramaphosa to act with seriousness and urgency to the matter but assured that whistleblowers will be protected.
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Mkhwanazi made a series of damning allegations against Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu, and Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Shadrack Sibiya.
He revealed that evidence found on the phone of accused underworld figure Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala links the minister to unauthorised communications through an associate, Brown Mogotsi.
Mkhwanazi claimed Matlala, who was arrested in May for attempted murder, had been awarded a R360-million police contract.
Additionally he also claimed to have evidence of police involvement in high-profile crime syndicates.
Mkhwanazi said the rot runs deep, with law enforcement officers, and high-ranking politicians, aiding and abetting drug cartels, especially in Gauteng.
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Police portfolio committee Chairperson, Ian Cameron, says allegations made by Mkhwanazi have exposed serious flaws within the criminal justice system.
Cameron says if the allegations are true, it indicates a systematic weakening of the police to enable corruption.
"Now the damning allegations made by the KZN Provincial Commissioner yesterday Nhlanhla Mhkwanazi has placed a necessary focus on the integrity or rather the lack thereof in the entire criminal justice system. This is not just an indictment on SAPS or parts of it, its an indictment on the criminal justice system," he says.