INLSA

Major-General Johan Booysen. Picture: Zanele Zulu

The head of the Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal, Major-General Johan Booysen, could be suspended for allegedly failing to take action against members of the Durban organised crime unit – Cato Manor, who have been accused of operating as a “hit squad”.

Members of the unit were told on Tuesday that it would be shut down.

Hawks head, Anwa Dramat, authorised Booysen’s “notice of intended suspension” letter.

In a separate development, crime intelligence boss, Major-General Dina Moodley, was told that he may be suspended.

On Tuesday, Booysen and Moodley confirmed they had been issued with notices of intention to suspend them.

Both have instructed their attorney, Carl van der Merwe, to respond to the notice within the next few days.

Booysen was handed his letter on Sunday, while Moodley was served with his notice last Thursday, from the officer of acting national divisional commissioner of crime intelligence, Lieutenant-General Fannie Masemola.

Sources said Moodley came under fire after he was accused of issuing an unlawful instruction to two officers relating to a national security issue.

This comes after more than two months of investigations by the Hawks and the Independent Complaints Directorate.

Commenting on Booysen’s possible suspension, Hawks spokesman, McIntosh Polela, said it was an internal matter and processes were taking place.

He confirmed the “immediate” closure of the Cato Manor offices of the Durban organised crime unit and said a decision had already been taken that the premises would be used by the Cato Manor police station next door.

The sources claimed the suspension of both top cops was linked directly to the investigation into the R60 million police tender scam, which implicates uMhlanga businessman, Thoshan Panday and Colonel Navin Madhoe.

The sources said that while Booysen was involved in the investigation of this matter, Moodley had gathered information through crime intelligence, implicating Panday and Madhoe.

In early 2010, Booysen started the investigation into the tender scam. Late last year, he was hailed a hero when he rejected a R2m bribe, allegedly offered by Madhoe, who was head of the SAPS supply chain management, to quash the tender scam investigation.

Six months later, KZN’s top cop had gone from hero to villain, sources said.

Also at the centre of the allegations is a DVD that allegedly exposed the systematic police killings of suspects in custody or deaths as a result of police action.

The DVD was made public last year.

In December last year, Dramat ordered the immediate transfer of four members of the unit – Warrant Officers Mossie Mostert and Shane Naidoo, Sergeant Raymond Lee and Captain Anton Lockem – pending an investigation into the allegations.

They were transferred to the Durban organised crime narcotics unit.

Three other policemen have been implicated, two of whom – Captain Eugene van Tonder and an officer known as Sergeant Gamede – have resigned. The third, Warrant Officer Rakesh Maharaj, was killed during a police raid in September last year.

On Tuesday the already embattled unit, which has about 25 members and is headed by Colonel Willie Olivier, were dealt another blow. They relieved an e-mail from Dramat’s office informing them the Cato Manor offices would be shutting doors, almost a month after being told the unit would not be allowed to investigate any serious cases until the investigation into the DVD had been completed.

The letter stated that three high-ranking KZN officers would be appointed to facilitate the closure of the offices.

It further read that |this move was an attempt to |enhance the operational |efficiency, command and |control of the entire Durban |organised crime unit.

The task team, consisting of three men, has a week to submit a report to Dramat’s office about how the members could be accommodated in terms of infrastructure and office space.

The organised crime unit moved to the Cato Manor premises in January 2007, with a mandate to investigate serious and violent crimes such as police murders, cash-in-transit heists and bank robberies.

At the time one of the main reasons for the move was the inadequate office space at the central Durban offices.

Soon after the announcement was made, the mood among members was sombre and one of disappointment.

The sources said the members felt as if they had been convicted and sentenced even before the trial could start.

Concern has been expressed about the capacity of the Durban offices to accommodate the members, administrative staff and cleaners.

“This unit is responsible for investigating serious crimes. It is concerning that hardened criminals will be taken into buildings that do not have adequate security in place.

“The Victoria Embankment offices do not even have sufficient parking. Parading suspects in such open places could also compromise investigations and court cases,” the sources said.

The sources added that members found it strange that operational efficiency, command and control of the unit had come into question.

“For the past five years regular national and provincial inspections have been conducted and the members have been commended for their good work.

“They were presented with trophies and their work was acknowledged by the provincial commissioner. For 2010/2011, the unit secured 27 life sentences. This move to close down a successful unit, is the first of its kind for the SAPS.”