The Democratic Alliance (DA) wants the police watchdog IPID to investigate the career of acting national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane following allegations of corruption.
The party's Zakhele Mbhele on Thursday briefed the media in Cape Town, claiming there was more evidence of corruption against the top cop after getting hold of a forensic report.
"The DA will be submitting this full report to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) and will request that they extend their current investigation to the entirety of Phahlane career in the SAPS. We will also demand that when this report is discussed in the Portfolio Committee for Police and that Phahlane be summoned to account for himself and these disturbing allegations that have surfaced during his tenure," said Mbhele.
Phahlane has in recent months found himself under serious scrutiny with IPID investigating him for corruption. That investigation resulted in his house being raided and an R80 000 sound system seized.
That was followed by question marks over his fleet of luxury cars. A Pretoria car dealer has allegedly admitted to giving the top cop a car at no cost with the hope of doing business with him at a later stage.
Phahlane and the SAPS have dismissed the corruption allegations.
The DA said it was in possession of the full forensic report, conducted by CPN Forensic and Accounting Services, into allegations by the Police and Civil Rights Union (Popcru) of corruption in the forensic services, which was headed by Phahlane.
The report identified an overpayment of almost R500,000 to Crimetech, which is said to be the same company that installed the sound system that was seized by IPID.
Mbhele said that the report also detailed how Phahlane changed the procurement system for delivery of supplies to Local Criminal Record Centres, creating an opportunity for the supplier, CrimeTech, to get away with not delivering goods already paid for.
"Specifically, the report identifies that deliveries related to seven orders cannot be confirmed, meaning that in all likelihood, the supplies were never in fact delivered, although they were paid; and in a matter of three financial years, payments to CrimeTech increased by an alarming 134 percent," he said.
The report found that the promotions of two brigadiers may have been irregular as they skipped ranks. Mbhele claimed that in 2009, senior SAPS members allegedly organised a birthday party for Phahlane, disguising it as a police workshop, using SAPS funds to pay for it.
He said the senior members were charged with fraud but Phahlane failed to institute disciplinary proceedings against them.
Mbhele said the report placed another cloud of suspicion over the office of the National Police Commissioner.
"Instead of focusing on fighting crime, and keeping our communities safe, SAPS leadership are embroiled in allegations and investigations," he said.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Sally de Beer said the contents of the report were released in December last year and a report was submitted to the Portfolio Committee on Police shortly after the media briefing.
"It is further noted that the DA feels that the report should form part of an on-going IPID investigation. As it is a report on a forensic investigation conducted by an independent firm, commissioned by General Riah Phiyega on 23 March 2013 on the request of Lt Gen Phahlane as the then Divisional Commissioner of Forensic Services, it can be scrutinised by any entity," she said.