Cabinet concerned about corruption and in-fighting within the SAPS
Cabinet voices concern about high number of corruption cases within the police force but fail to discuss the issue of crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli.
Cabinet on Friday expressed serious concern about corruption and in-fighting in the senior ranks of the South African Police Service (SAPS) but did not discuss the situation surrounding crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli.
Lt-Gen Mdluli was controversially reinstated to his position after charges of fraud and corruption were withdrawn. He was also charged with murder but this was changed to an inquest inquiry.
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Hawks' Mdluli probe finds second secret slush fund
The Hawks have uncovered another secret police bank account linked to Richard Mdluli, through which "vast sums" were allegedly illegally siphoned.
The anti-corruption Hawks unit has uncovered a concealed police bank account through which “vast sums” of money was allegedly illegally siphoned.
The account emerged from the Hawks’ muted but ongoing investigation into fraud claims against newly reinstated crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli. It is separate from the police secret service account, the subject of earlier allegations involving Mdluli.
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Paul Hoffman: Between constitution’s rock and ANC’s hard place
Battle over compliance with SA’s international and constitutional obligations to maintain independent and effective anticorruption entity.
It is said that a week is a long time in politics. Last week was a short week, and this week is even shorter for some, given the way the public holidays have fallen this year. But for the members of Parliament’s select committee on police matters, both weeks are bound to be long, given that they are devoted to debating what is turning out to be the mother of all clashes between the requirements of the constitution and the wishes of the executive.
The battle is over compliance with South Africa’s international and constitutional obligations to maintain an independent and effective anticorruption entity.
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MTN whipped, but still a good buy
Although MTN has been involved in court battles after allegations of corruption surfaced, its share prices hasn't plummeted and profits are certain.
MTN’s share price is likely to remain wobbly as jittery foreign investors face massive pressure from United States authorities and lobby groups to quit their exposure in Africa’s R255-billion cellphone giant because of its business activities in Iran.
The company is in danger of being smacked with US sanctions for allegedly providing the Iranian government with technology and spyware to perpetuate what US President Barack Obama claims are “grave” human rights abuses.
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Corruption poses many dangers for the future
The release of the Corruption Watch report on corruption within the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department gives rise to a need to draw parallels between SA and other African countries on how they addressed corruption after emancipation.
Ayi Kwei Armah’s The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born depicts a protagonist known as “the man” who refuses to indulge in corruption in Ghana. Everyone else around him had succumbed to greed and rot following the overthrow of Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president.
The protagonist (the man) strives to remain focused, clean and innocent in a country characterised by gluttony, rot or corruption.
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An anti-corruption agency must be independent to be effective
If it was not already clear why a dedicated anti-corruption agency capable of tackling powerfully connected people had to be independent of the South African Police Service (SAPS), the recent, and indeed ongoing failures of police leadership over the past few years should put this into perspective.
In 2010, ex-SAPS National Commissioner Jackie Selebi was convicted on corruption charges and sentenced to 15 years in prison. In 2011, the SAPS National Commissioner, Bheki Cele, was suspended pending the outcome of an inquiry into his fitness for office. This followed a finding by the Public Protector that his actions in relation to a R1.67 billion police lease deal were ‘improper, unlawful and amounted to maladministration.’
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DA seeks parly hearing on Mdluli
The DA says it will continue to pursue its request for a parliamentary hearing into crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli.
This was despite media reports that police portfolio committee chairwoman Sindy Chikunga had rejected the Democratic Alliance's request for a special hearing.
DA spokeswoman Dianne Kohler-Barnard said Chikunga's decision had not yet been communicated to her in writing.
"It is not within the powers of the chairperson to unilaterally make such a ruling," she said.
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EC hub to root out corruption
A new high-tech, anti-corruption task force has been set up in the Eastern Cape’s department of health to combat fraud, extortion and profiteering.
Over the years the department has been hit with a string of corruption related crimes with nearly R1-billion vanishing and tons of medication and equipment being looted.
Already a national pilot project, the corruption-busting team is the brainchild of finance minister Pravin Gordhan, South African Revenue Service (SARS) commissioner Ivan Pillay and Eastern Cape department of health superintendent-general Siva Pillay.
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Mathale pulling in millions with rental contract
Cassel Mathale and Thaba Mufamadi are earning R40-million over eight years for renting one of their buildings to the Gauteng government.
The agreement with Manaka Property Investments, for the rental of Manaka House in Pretoria, was signed by the former health and social development department, Beeld newspaper reported on Monday.
The department has since been split into two but both divisions still used the building. Manaka had amassed a property empire worth about R520-million
All the company’s rental agreements came from government contracts.
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Police's technology division accused of corruption
The police's information, communications and technology (ICT) division is to be investigated over allegations of corruption, says Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa.
Delivering his budget vote speech in the National Assembly on Wednesday, Mthethwa said there were questions around the return on investment of the division's budget allocation.
"Currently the department had a budget of approximately R2.6 billion on technology, as allocated under the Technology Services Management (TMS) division. However, allegations of tender mismanagement, irregular expenditure and lack of return on investment have been brought to my attention," he said.
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