Former crime intelligence boss finally axed by minister

Institute says the time taken for the dismissal raises many questions.

Fikile Mbalula rubs his head during a media briefing about the results of the ANC’s Strategy and Tactics panel at the party’s 54th National Elective Conference at Nasrec, Johannesburg on 20 December 2017. Nathi Mthethwa and Mbalula spoke about changes in the panel’s policy, the importance of gender equity and the need to institute an inquiry on state capture. Picture: Yeshiel Panchia

Given the “winds of change blowing” within the ANC, there are indications that a beleaguered former Crime Intelligence (CI) boss was previously protected from being prosecuted for numerous allegations against him.

According to the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Richard Mdluli, who was suspended for years while being on trial for kidnapping and murder, had a host of people in top positions to protect him.

Yesterday, Police Minister Fikile Mbalula announced that Mdluli would “be relieved of his duties with immediate effect”. Mdluli had been suspended for the six years while on trial for a kidnapping and murder that allegedly took place in 1998. He also faces corruption allegations.

“There are allegations that he had a special relationship with the president [Jacob Zuma] and [former deputy national director of public prosecutions] Advocate Jiba,” the ISS’s Johan Burger said. These relationships were also YOU’RE FIRED. Police Minister Fikile Mbalula, centre, who has axed Richard Mdluli. Picture: Jacques Nelles ENOUGH. Workers picket outside the Dis-Chem warehouse in Midrand yesterday. Picture: Michel Bega formed during the time of former national police commissioner Riah Phiyega’s reign.

“So, all of this works together to prevent his prosecution. We can’t say for a fact this is the case, but one can only assume that he was being protected and we are not certain why,” added Burger. “He was certainly enjoying protection that ordinary people would not have. “But now, with the winds of change blowing in the ANC and in government, I think the message is clear that action needs to be taken.”

On the number of years it took for action to be taken against Mdluli, Burger said: “That is a question we have been asking for a long time.
“There is no reason why it needed to take so long.”

– yadhanaj@citizen.co.za

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