Phahlane claims he’s innocent

SUSPENDED former acting national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane has admitted that two cars were sponsored to family members for their community outreach projects, by a dealership which is being investigated.

Police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), and the Hawks raided Phahlane’s home last week as well as properties belonging to SAPS contractor Keith Keating.

Keating was implicated in an alleged tender scandal recently and, according to reports, he also allegedly paid for vehicles for Phahlane, his wife, Brigadier Ntombizodwa Phahlane, and his sister to ensure the SAPS contracts were given to him.

Phahlane maintained his innocence saying that the allegations were “propaganda”.

Yesterday, he told Independent Media that he was in possession of two vehicles from car dealer Durand Snyman – whose properties were also raided by Ipid last week – but the vehicles were a sponsorship for his family’s community outreach project for an 18-month period.

Phahlane said that he and his family often distributed food hampers to the needy and Snyman sponsored a VW Polo and Toyota Hilux for the project.

“It was a sponsorship for only 18 months and the two vehicles were returned to the dealership in May and June this year.

“I do know Snyman but I have never purchased any vehicles from him. I only sold vehicles through his dealership,” Phahlane said.

He said that his relationship with Snyman was independent from the business Keating and Snyman were involved in, adding that the sponsored vehicles “had nothing to do with the police”.

“I don’t know where this comes from that I received kickbacks from Keating and Snyman.

“Snyman sponsored the vehicles for marketing purposes. He saw the good work we were doing and wanted to assist us in giving back to the community,” Phahlane said.

His mother’s house, where his sister lives, was also raided and his sister’s Ford Ranger was seized by police.

Phahlane said that on seeing the condition of vehicles sponsored by Snyman, his sister chose to purchase her Ford Ranger through his dealership because she was happy with the quality of the vehicles.

He labelled the allegations that he was fabricating a case against Ipid head Robert McBride, that his (Phahlane’s) wife was the head of Technology Services in the SAPS and that he had a fleet of vehicles as “propaganda”.

He said his family owned three vehicles – an Amarok, a Mercedes-Benz and a Range Rover – financed through Standard Bank and Nedbank.

When quizzed on SAfm on whether it was common practice for police officers to receive sponsorships of this nature, Phahlane eventually said that he did not know.

Institute for Security Studies crime expert Johan Burger said he did not know of any provisions made in the Police Service Act or regulations that sponsorships could be given to individual officers.