Hawks lashed for ‘hostage drama’
THE SACP has condemned the “despicable conduct” of Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) officials involving a top South African Revenue Service (Sars) official.
This was particularly directed at Brigadier Nyameka Xaba and other officials who were allegedly involved in a “hostage scene” at Sars.
“The SACP is calling on all democratic South Africans to reject and fight against corporate capture and abuse of state institutions, including private or factional use of public power, corruption and rent-seeking,” the party said.
The video material showing aspects of the “hostage drama”, when senior Sars employee Vlok Symington was allegedly held against his will, reflected the reviving of not only the apartheid-era security branch-style of operating, but the reassertion of its operatives in the police service, the SACP said.
The Hawks officers can be seen and heard arguing with Symington, from whom they are allegedly trying to confiscate sensitive documents related to Sars commissioner Tom Moyane’s role in the fraud investigation into Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.
“It is clear that they are now discrediting our nascent democratic institutions from within by means of apartheid-era security branch-style of work and thus weaken them in pursuit of private or factional agendas or the rotten interests of a parasitic elite and their corporate capturers,” the SACP said.
This has clearly been exposed for all to see by the appalling manner in which the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) have pursued Gordhan at all costs, the SACP said.
Xaba, commander of the crimes against the state unit, is the Hawks’ lead investigator in the case against Gordhan.
In light of the recent events, it appears National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams has more reasons to drop the prosecution of Gordhan.
This would save the integrity of the NPA, the SACP said.
The SACP noted that a complaint had been laid with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate over the alleged hostage drama.
“Based on our own experience relating to matters of jurisdiction and associated technicalities, as the SACP, we would advice Symington to also lay a complaint with the Office of the Judge of the Hawks.
“Meanwhile, the Hawks must immediately take action against the unbecoming conduct of its officers and Sars commissioner Tom Moyane must come clean in relation to his involvement in the hostage scandal,” the SACP said.