EWN revealed leaked emails on Monday morning which suggest that Police Minister Fikile Mbalula has seized control of the police's Crime Intelligence unit by issuing a ministerial directive that sidelines acting National Commissioner Lesetja Mothiba.
Insiders say Mothiba attempted to resist what has been described as "irregular and unlawful instructions from the minister", and that the unit now reports directly to Mbalula himself, who is only meant to provide policy direction and oversight.
Meeting minutes and confidential information notes which EWN has seen reveal Mbalula:
- believes Crime Intelligence officers are illegally spying on him and carrying out a campaign to discredit him;
- has ordered several promotions of generals be rescinded, and another general's transfer out of the unit;
- receives weekly intelligence briefings from the head of the unit;
- has been added to the police's daily intelligence briefing mailing list; and
- issues instructions directly to the head of Crime Intelligence, bypassing the acting national commissioner.
The ministerial directive makes it appear that Mbalula has taken over some of the functions of the national commissioner, says Professor Rudolph Zinn from Unisa's Department of Police Practice.
"If the minister starts issuing directives [to Crime Intelligence], which is completely different to direction, it means he is then controlling the unit and the unit must do what he wants them to do or investigate what he would like them to investigate," he said.
The minister has refused to comment about the allegations.