‘Politics’ at play for top cops

KZN commissioner Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni

KZN commissioner Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni

Published Oct 2, 2014

Share

Durban - They were appointed on the same day five years ago; but on Thursday the police commissioners of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga face very different futures apparently because of “politics” in the police service.

While the contract of KZN commissioner Lieutenant-General Mmamonnye Ngobeni - who has been embroiled in allegations of corruption - is likely to be renewed at the end of this month, Mpumulanga’s top officer, Lieutenant-General Thulani Ntobela, who recently criticised national police commissioner General Riah Phiyega for getting rid of those she did not like, has been fired.

While there has been no official word yet on the fate of Ngobeni - with national police spokesman Lieutenant General Solomon Makgale saying Phiyega would soon make an announcement - senior police sources say she will either stay in her post or possibly be promoted and “redeployed nationally”.

Ngobeni refused to comment earlier this week, telling a Mercury reporter, “don’t ask me stupid questions”.

On Wednesday, in a response to e-mailed questions, the provincial police communications office said a response would be given “when all the information is available”.

 

Ntobela, however, has confirmed to The Mercury that after 33 years service with a clean record, he had been advised in an e-mail that his contract was not being renewed.

The e-mail, from Phiyega, said: “The employer does not intend to renew your contract. We hope you will continue to support the police.”

No reason was given.

But Ntobela, who will serve his last day on October 30, said Phiyega had in the past criticised him for arresting (Mpumalanga Hawks head) Major-General Simon Mapyane for fraud and he had come to terms with losing his job for “doing the right thing”.

“I have been fired. I am out of a job and for no good reason. I have served the police for 33 years. There has never been any criminal charge or disciplinary action brought against me. I was fired in an e-mail without even the courtesy of a call.”

Ntobela, who was formerly Western Cape head of detectives and deputy commissioner, told The Mercury he had done a good job in Mpumalanga and Phiyega had scored him 74 percent in a performance assessment last month.

“When I started in 2009, Mpumalanga was rated ninth (in terms of crime statistics). As I leave, it is now third.”

Asked what he would do, he said he had a law degree and while he did not want to “go over to the other side”, he had to support his family.

Last week it emerged that Ntobela had attempted to back KZN Hawks head Major-General Johan Booysen in his disciplinary hearing, although the affidavit he wrote was never used.

In it, he confirmed he had been asked by Phiyega to investigate Booysen but he soon realised it was “superficial” and that he could ruin a man’s career.

Ntobela alleged Phiyega was “biased” towards certain officers. She had questioned his arrest of Mapyane, who is facing criminal charges but has not been suspended, saying “we should not arrest our own”.

He alleges he was forced to investigate a police whistleblower and Phiyega was angry when he exonerated him.

A Mercury internet search found only one possible black mark against Ntobela when local politicians reported him to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate regarding political killings in Mpumulanga.

But Ntobela said the case was closed without being referred to the National Prosecuting Authority.

In contrast, Ngobeni is no stranger to controversy.

Recently, advocate Nazeer Cassim SC, who presided over Booysen’s disciplinary, found there was evidence she had repeatedly interfered in a R60 million police tender fraud investigation involving businessman Thoshan Panday and policeman Navin Madhoe.

Cassim also noted that Ngobeni had not come to defend herself against the allegations but Phiyega had testified instead.

It was previously reported that she was a suspect in a corruption probe into allegations that Panday paid for her policeman husband Lucas’s birthday party in 2011.

After an investigation, a decision was taken not to prosecute her.

In 2012, she was criticised by the Moloi Commission of Inquiry into the police lease buildings scandal for “pretending” she knew nothing about documents she had signed and her attempts to “protect” then national commissioner Bheki Cele “at all costs”.

Institute of Security Studies senior researcher Johan Burger said Ngobeni had a case to answer regarding her interference in the (Panday) fraud investigation which was instituted by Booysen.

Burger said: “I am not at all convinced she has acted in her position with objectivity.”

Commenting about Ntobela, Burger said Ntobela had shown through his affidavit that he did not want to be involved in any wrongdoing.

“He was honest and acted with integrity. But the message being sent out to police officers is that honesty and integrity are not characteristics you should possess. It is a shame.”

The Mercury

Related Topics: