Division over McBride’s post
MPS remain at loggerheads over the renewal of Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) head Robert McBride’s contract which is set to expire on Thursday.
Yesterday Parliament’s portfolio committee on police met to decide McBride’s fate as Ipid head.
Opposition parties, however, did not find common ground, as some wanted McBride’s contract to expire, and for him to vacate office.
ANC MP Phindile Mmola, without reference to the reasons provided by Police Minister Bheki Cele to McBride, said: “This contract must not be renewed. Let it be on the board tomorrow, we are not going to waste time. Let the post be advertised today, we are not going to fight over reasons.”
This came after Cele had served McBride with a letter stating that he will not be renewing his contract.
The committee then wrote to Cele to request reasons for his decision.
In his response dated February 18, Cele said McBride was not “fit and proper” to continue as Ipid head.
He referred to a misconduct complaint against McBride who is under investigation by the Office of the Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
He also referred to a report by Ipid’s former investigator, Cedrick Nkabinde, alleging McBride gave private investigator Paul O’Sullivan access to Ipid probes and confidential information.
DA MPs backed McBride, saying the reasons advanced by Cele were insufficient and that McBride should be allowed to head the Ipid despite the allegations against him.
DA MP Dianne Kohler Barnard said: “Looking at the reasons by the minister and the letter from McBride, it was not up to the minister to write these letters to Mr McBride… It is the job of this committee to decide on this matter. I see political pressure brought on to this committee. In the McBride letter, it claims Nkabinde withdrew his complaints, which is the reason the minister is basing his decision on. Those allegations should be removed from this entire excise,” said Barnard.
McBride has exposed alleged corrupt links between former acting national police commissioner Khomotso Phahlane and certain SAPS contractors, and attempts to allegedly plunder Crime Intelligence funds for partisan political ends in the ANC.