Ex-Gauteng top cop withdraws from ActionSA amid tender corruption case

Former Gauteng police commissioner Deliwe de Lange has withdrawn from being actively involved in new party ActionSA pending the outcome of her tender fraud case.

The Lieutenant-General is among the 13 suspected top cops facing charges relating to a R191 million tender to supply emergency warning equipment for the South African Police Service in 2017.

“She emphatically denies these charges, however, recognises that for ActionSA to uphold ethical leadership as a core value of the organisation, she must step back until her name is cleared,” said ActionSA’s national chairperson Michael Beaumont.

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De Lange was announced as one of the five female “powerhouses” to have joined Herman Mashaba’s new party in August, alongside former ANC MP’s Vytjie Mentor and Makhosi Khoza.

De Lange was accused alongside 12 other top cops, including former national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane, former Gauteng deputy police commissioner Major-General Brigadier Nombhuruza Lettie Napo. Deputy national commissioner Lieutenant-General Bonang Mgwenya was the 13^th suspect arrested last week.

Beaumont said the party would observe the court proceedings and will determine De Lange’s return once the matter is concluded.

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“ActionSA respects Lieutenant-General De Lange’s decision, which stands above the way political leadership deals with these matters in South African politics. At all times, ActionSA is committed to raising the low bar of ethical leadership in our political system,” Beaumont said.

De Lange had resigned from the service in 2018 following a string of allegations levelled against her, which she had denied.

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