Home-bound diplomat ‘ducked lie detector test’
THE man who was meant to be South Africa’s ambassador to Mali walked out of a state security polygraph test and then sat at home for months while pocketing a reported R72 000 monthly salary.
Chris Ngcobo, who resigned as acting crime intelligence boss last year after it was discovered he had lied about having a matric certificate, is believed to have refused to answer polygraph questions about whether he had ever lied, misrepresented facts or committed fraud.
The polygraph was taken by all of South Africa’s ambassadors-designate last year.
On July 29, Ngcobo finally resigned from the Department of International Relations; he would have cost taxpayers R500 000 over the past seven months.
The 14 other officials who attended classes with Ngcobo at the department’s diplomatic academy in Pretoria last year were posted at missions in January, after going through the same state security vetting and answering the same questions.
Ngcobo, a politically connected former Umkhonto weSizwe operative, joined the police in 1994. He later headed the VIP protection service and was responsible for President Jacob Zuma’s security.
During a state security vetting exercise it was discovered that Ngcobo only had a Grade 10 — not a matric as he had claimed.
He resigned as acting head of crime intelligence in July last year amid an internal disciplinary process, and was transferred to the Department of International Relations.
A source close to the case said Ngcobo’s package was R869 000 a year and that he had been receiving his salary since going home in January this year. Ngcobo had been on the department payroll since being recruited to be an ambassador last year.
Department spokesman Nelson Kgwete confirmed this week that Ngcobo had tendered his resignation last month.
“Ngcobo was supposed to take up his diplomatic post subject to meeting all the requirements associated with such diplomatic assignments, including receiving an agreement from the host country,” Kgwete said.
He confirmed that Ngcobo’s security vetting had not been completed.
“The security clearance process was still outstanding at the time Mr Ngcobo left the department.”
Ngcobo had been paid even though he failed to take up his post in Mali, because “all ambassadors-designate are absorbed as employees of the department from the time they are appointed,” Kgwete said.
He refused to confirm or deny claims that Ngcobo was staying in a state house until his resignation last month, saying the former top cop must answer the question himself.
Ngcobo couldn’t be reached for comment and did not respond to questions sent to him.