National Police Commissioner General Khehla Sitole. Picture Henk Kruger/African News Agency (ANA)
PRETORIA - National Police Commissioner General Khehla Sitole and the South African Police management has reiterated its stance to continue rooting out elements of corruption within its ranks following the dismissal of seven of its own members.
The management dismissed the seven members after they were tried departmentally and found guilty.
The list includes two brigadiers, two colonels, a lieutenant-colonel and two civilian employees on charges relating to their alleged involvement in corrupt activities in connection with a R56-million car markings tender.
According to police spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo, the members were charged with multiple counts of fraud, corruption, theft, money laundering and were currently being subjected to criminal prosecution.
Naidoo said the seven members formed part of the 16 members who were arrested on June 4 during a predawn operation by an Anti-Corruption Task Team set up by Sitole in 2017.
Among those arrested were according to Naidoo a former lieutenant-general, three brigadiers, colonels, civilian employees and six private citizens on those very same charges.
The seven are Brigadier Jabez Naidoo from KwaZulu-Natal’s Point police station and the former supply chain management head in the Western Cape, Brigadier Lesetja Mogotlane the section head for mechanical services.
Alongside Colonel Thomas Marima a section commander for vehicles and tactical equipment, lieutenant-colonel Veeran Naipal a member of vehicle support within the Pretoria central garage and lieutenant-Colonel Alpheus Makhetha a technical expert for the vehicle fleet.
As well as administration clerk Jacoba Magadela Havenga assigned to the Western Cape new vehicle store department and Marcell Marney the chief provisioning clerk to Brigadier James Ramanjulam.
“We will root out corruption irrespective of the rank or position a member holds within the service they will not be immune to prosecution both criminally and departmentally.”
“I continue to urge members to desist from any form of criminality or corruption as such actions will do nothing more than bringing an abrupt end to one’s freedom and career,” Sitole added.