Mpumalanga top cop Semakaleng Daphney Manamela suspended over gifts

Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela, the police commissioner in Mpumalanga, has been placed on suspension.

Mpumalanga police commissioner suspended

National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said Manamela was suspended by national commissioner General Fannie Masemola over allegations of misconduct.

Mathe would not provide reasons for the suspension, saying “this remains a matter between employer and employee”.

Unduly receiving gifts

A report by TimesLIVE, however, alleges that Manamela was suspended over the many gifts she received from Mpumalanga’s police stations.

The publication said the gifts included money, a TV stand, couches and household appliances.

Although Manamela declared the items she received, it is alleged she pressured the police stations to donate them.

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Earlier in February, Masemola asked Manamela to provide reasons why she should not be suspended. 

Manamela was appointed as provincial commissioner of Mpumalanga in July 2021. 

Major-General Zeph Mkhwanazi has been appointed as the acting provincial commissioner.

Maladministration, nepotism and corruption

In December, The Citizen’s sister publication, The Lowvelder, reported that Manamela was on the warpath after being accused of maladministration, nepotism and corruption.

Manamela allegedly insisted that “welcoming functions” be arranged for her by the districts under her command. She allegedly insisted on receiving gifts at these functions.

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The allegations were included in a report by Lieutenant-General Thulani Ntobela, the former Mpumalanga police commissioner and owner of a forensic investigations company, The-i-Firm.

Ntobela was asked to compile the report by several senior officers in Mpumalanga.

“I was approached by the whistle-blower, who wanted to remain anonymous, to investigate the abuse of power by the provincial commissioner, a misuse of tea club funds, nepotism and possible corruption,” Ntobela’s report read.

R1.7 million collected from police stations

The report stated that more than R1.7 million was allegedly collected from police stations. The donations were used to pay for three functions and gifts to speakers. 

The functions were labelled as gender-based violence prayer days. Manamela was a guest speaker at the functions as well.

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