More charges brought against Ntlemeza

Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba’s spokesperson Tony Taverna-Turisan confirmed on Wednesday that a criminal case of defeating the ends of justice had been opened against former Hawks boss Lieutenant General Mthandazo Berning Ntlemeza by Mashaba.

Ntlemeza was dismissed from his post hours earlier by the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.

In his complaint, Mashaba noted the city’s Group Forensic and Investigation Services (GFIS) had learnt Ntlemeza had called a meeting on 27 March at the Germiston SAPS Hall with all Gauteng Hawks members.

There, Mashaba alleged, Ntlemeza noted he was concerned cases registered by the City of Johannesburg were receiving preferential treatment; some members were visiting the offices of the GFIS – run by former Gauteng Hawks boss Shadrack Sibiya. He warned them to stop doing so, or face the consequences.

Ntlemeza is alleged to have said that those investigating local municipal cases would be monitored, and had to report each meeting they had with the City of Johannesburg to the acting provincial head of Gauteng, Brigadier Sekelema Lewele.

Mashaba claimed further that Ntlemeza planned to introduce a “Clandestine Task Team” to monitor and report directly to him on all cases related to the city.

Ntlemeza’s spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Netshiunda, told The Citizen Mashaba should concentrate on running his municipality and leave the investigations to the Hawks.

“He is talking nonsense.  This year, even last year, we arrested people for corruption and the mayor kept quiet. Why? Whatever he is saying now is pure nonsense,” said Netshiunda.

Mashaba met with Independent Police Investigative Directorate chief Robert McBride on Monday to request an investigation into “allegations of abuse of power and defeating the ends of justice”, Mashaba said in a statement on Tuesday.

A lot of this may be moot now with the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria yesterday ordering Ntlemeza to vacate his post immediately. However, Mashaba remained concerned about cases dating back to 2012 that were costing the city millions.

The mayor complained that cases of illegal valuations, city officials and City Power employees soliciting bribes, fraudulently issued export certificates, fraud at Joburg Market worth nearly R2 million and housing corruption in Ivory Park of up to a million rand had allegedly been ignored by Ntlemeza.