Durban - The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) said on Thursday evening that the day was not yet over as the deadline set by its head Robert McBride, demanding police minister Bheki Cele withdraws the non-renewal of McBride’s contract, passed.
McBride threatened Cele with “legal redress” if the minister failed to withdraw the instruction not to reemploy him as Ipid executive director by the close of business on Thursday.
“Until I get a position from the department, we are not commenting. The current position is we are not commenting,” Ipid spokesperson Moses Dlamini told African News Agency (ANA) on Thursday evening.
Told that the deadline, set by McBride, had passed with close of business anywhere between 5 and 6pm, Dlamini replied: “When does today end?”
McBride was contacted and referred ANA to Dlamini before abruptly hanging up.
Attempts to get comment from Cele and his ministry were unsuccessful.
On 16 January, Cele addressed a letter to McBride that said he had “decided not to renew or extend your employment contract as executive director of IPID”, adding McBride must vacate the office by February 28.
Six days later, McBride responded: "By unilaterally determining whether my tenure as executive director of Ipid should be renewed or extended, and terminating my holding of the office, you have acted unlawfully and in violation of the constitutionally-entrenched independence of the Ipid.”
McBride gave the minister until the close of business on Thursday to “withdraw your decision”, refer the matter to parliament's portfolio committee of police and give reasons why his contract wasn’t being extended.