Suspended Hawks general back on job

● A Hawks general, who allegedly tried to wreck a bribery case laid by Mcebisi Jonas against one of the Gupta brothers, is back at work — and in the office of the head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation.

The Sunday Times understands that MajGen Zinhle Mnonopi was suspended for 60 days after Jonas implicated her in attempts to quash a case that had been opened against Ajay Gupta. She now reports directly to Hawks head Gen Godfrey Lebeya.

It also emerged that Mnonopi’s husband, Capt Thembani Luyanda Mnonopi, was arrested earlier this month on charges of corruption and extortion, among other charges.

Jonas told the Zondo commission last year that Zinhle Mnonopi had referred to the case as a “DA matter” and told him she wanted to “kill” the case. Jonas had claimed that Ajay Gupta had offered him a cabinet post and a R600m bribe.

Mnonopi filed an affidavit with the commission disputing Jonas’s claims. She accused him of defeating the ends of justice by failing to report the matter on time.

Mnonopi was suspended last September. A source with the unit said: “She returned like nothing happened.”

At the time of her suspension, Lebeya said investigations found there was enough evidence to warrant her suspension.

It is unclear why Mnonopi was allowed to return to her role or why she was moved to Lebeya’s office.

“We don’t know what she does. She is in the office of the Hawks head. We see her there,” the source said.

Hawks spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi would not comment on the matter.

“These are internal processes, which remain between employer and employee,” he said.

She [Maj-Gen Zinhle Mnonopi] returned like nothing happened

Source in the Hawks