Probe police boss’s career, DA insists

A CALL has been made on the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) to extend its probe into acting national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane “to the entirety of Phahlane’s career in the SAPS”.

The DA’s Zakhele Mbhele said yesterday the party was in possession of the full forensic report‚ conducted by CPN forensic and accounting services‚ into allegations by the Police and Civil Rights Union (Popcru) of corruption in the forensic services.

Phahlane was previously head of that department.

Mbhele said the DA wanted the report submitted to parliament’s police portfolio committee and for Phahlane to “be summoned to account for himself and these disturbing allegations that have surfaced during his tenure”.

“It is a damning indictment of President Jacob Zuma and [Police Minister] Nathi Nhleko that they are incapable of making sound appointments in the senior leadership of SAPS‚” Mbhele said.

The report listed a number of procurement irregularities‚ including:

An overpayment of almost R500 000 to CrimeTech‚ the company that installed the sound system in Phahlane’s lavish Pretoria home.

Phahlane changed the procurement system for delivery of supplies to criminal record centres‚ which possibly created an opportunity for the supplier‚ CrimeTech‚ to get away with not delivering goods already paid for; and

In a matter of three financial years‚ payments to CrimeTech increased by an alarming 134%.

The report also noted that the promotions of two brigadiers might have been irregular as they skipped ranks and did not seem to have had the required experience to qualify for their promotions.

Last week‚ Ipid officers raided Phahlane’s Pretoria home in search of an R80 000 sound system he is alleged to have received in relation to awarding a contract to a service provider while he headed the SAPS forensic science laboratory.

Phahlane insists that he bought the sound system and that there was nothing untoward in the purchase.

On Wednesday‚ it emerged that Ipid investigators were also looking into Phahlane’s acquisition of a fleet of luxury cars over the past two years.

These include a Range Rover Sport‚ Land Rover Discovery‚ a Mercedes-Benz E520CDI‚ a VW Polo‚ a Toyota Hilux bakkie and a VW Amarok bakkie.