Khumalo reveals ongoing investigation into journalists linked to criminal cartels

Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo has revealed that they were investigating journalists who are allegedly involved in activities to protect criminal cartels.

This happens as former acting national commissioner Khomotso Phahlane named specific journalists he claims were weaponised to destroy him.

While testifying before the Ad Hoc Committee on Friday, Khumalo was asked by EF leader Julius Malema to confirm whether there were journalists involved in activities to protect cartels.

“We have identified some that we believe might be part of communication department of the cartel. The investigation is still ongoing on that part,” he said.

Khumalo provided evidence on the second day of his appearance before the Ad Hoc Committee investigating the alleged unlawful disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team, the moratorium in the filling of vacancies in the Crime Intelligence Unit, and the alleged corrupt relationship between senior leadership of the SAPS and members of the public, as well as political interference in the work of the police service.

However, Phahlane was not shy to name journalists he claimed to have worked with former Independent Police Investigative Directorate head Robert McBride and forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan to discredit him.

Phahlane informed the Ad Hoc Committee that the attacks directed at him by McBride and O’Sullivan and their sustained campaign through both broadcast and electronic media bear testimony to their control of individual journalists whom they weaponised against him.

“A propaganda machinery unleashed by McBride and O’Sullivan was spearheaded by a select group of journalists whom I know, by the way, and I will name them here if need be.

“Marianne Thamm is one of those people. The late Karima Brown is one of those people. Abraham Mashego is one of those people, and Barry Bateman is one of those people,” he said in his evidence.

Meanwhile, Khumalo said an investigation is under way into SAPS senior officers who were “mingling” with some members of the cartel.

This was after Malema said National Commissioner Fannie Masemola had said Khumalo would give detail to things he and Mkhwanazi had testified on, including names of people who might be implicated in cartels.

“Who of the senior members of SAPS was mingling with the cartel, and in which events were they found mingling together?” he asked.

In his response, Khumalo said there was a thin line between members of the cartel wanting to paint the picture that they were closer to high-ranking officials and politicians, and also working together.

“As I indicated, that is still part of the investigation. Senior officials are identified, and then the investigation to determine how far the relationship is is ongoing,” he said.

But Malema stated that witnesses at the Madlanga Commission had expressed shock at finding senior officers at parties and even playing music from their phones as a way of demonstrating they were familiar with the environment they found themselves in.

“It should not be a difficult thing to share with South Africans that this senior official was found in a house or party of a person of interest,” he added.

Khumalo said: “They mentioned the provincial commissioner of Gauteng, Major-General Shibiri, that I referred to yesterday. I don't have their statements as part of my bundle,” he said.

Khumalo was also asked to name the politicians involved in corruption and being investigated.

“As I indicated during my testimony as per the legal framework, we are not allowed to identify a subject of investigation until the investigation is finalised,” he said.

mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za