The “debacle” around the appointment of Richard Mdluli as the head of police intelligence must be subjected to proper parliamentary scrutiny, DA MP Dianne Kohler-Barnard said on Wednesday.
“Too many questions remained unanswered for this matter to not be thoroughly examined by Parliament,” Kohler-Barnard said.
“This debacle has significant implications both for the credibility of the police and for national security, given Mdluli’s high-ranking position in the intelligence services,” she said.
“I will today be writing to the chairperson of the police portfolio committee, Sindy Chikunga, to request a special hearing on the Mdluli saga.”
The South African public had, for the better part of a year, been faced with continuous revelations of how the alleged conduct of Mdluli had damaged a number of key state institutions, including the police, the Hawks, the office of the Inspector General of Intelligence and the National Prosecuting Authority, Kohler-Barnard said.
“The alleged involvement of both Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa and President Jacob Zuma is cause for particular concern.”
She said she had received an answer to a Parliamentary question revealing that the police force found itself in “the extraordinary situation” of having Mdluli in charge of approving any application for interception of communications.
If a member of the Hawks wanted to make an application for interception, they would have to go through crime intelligence and Mdluli.
“Richard Mdluli is, as a result, in an extremely powerful position - hardly a position the DA believes he should be in,” Kohler-Barnard said. - Sapa