The DA will report the "inexplicable failure" of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) to act on State Security Minister David Mahlobo's alleged links to a Chinese rhino poacher to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) for further investigation.
The DA was dismayed to learn this week that the Hawks had failed to launch an investigation into the relationship between Mahlobo and self-confessed criminal Guan Jiang Guang, DA chief whip John Steenhuisen said on Sunday. "We will now report this inexplicable failure to act to the Ipid for further investigation," he said.
Mahlobo’s association with Guang was exposed in a documentary on rhino poaching aired by Al Jazeera news channel on November 13, 2016, as well as additional reporting by local news media. However, Hawks spokesman Brigadier Hangweni Mulaudzi was quoted on January 19 as saying that the Hawks had not even opened an investigation into the matter.
Furthermore, Mulaudzi was quoted as saying that Guang was now at large and believed to have fled the country, Steenhuisen said.
"Remarkably, the Hawks have seemingly found the time to investigate Guang’s 'massage parlour' in Mbombela where he and Mahlobo became acquainted, at least sufficiently to have determined that it was likely used as a brothel. It defies belief that the Hawks did not see it fit to investigate allegations of corruption at the highest level of government."
On November 14, 2016 the DA called on President Jacob Zuma to place Mahlobo on special leave pending a full and proper investigation, specifically to avoid manipulation of this crucial investigation.
The call went unheeded and it would now be up to Ipid to determine why the Hawks had failed to investigate Guang’s alleged association with Mahlobo and his wife.
"We can no longer allow our intelligence services to be mired in endless controversy," Steenhuisen said.