Nhleko’s round two on McBride

Police Minister Nathi Nhleko is trying to get Parliament to take disciplinary action against Independent Police Investigative Directorate head Robert McBride again after his first attempt blew up in his face.

It is now up to the portfolio committee on police whether it will take up Nhleko’s request to have another go at the McBride matter.

The latest attempt by Nhleko came after his attack on the ANC study group in Parliament and Speaker Baleka Mbete for failing to act against McBride.

This followed a Constitutional Court judgment that Nhleko had no authority to suspend McBride.

The Constitutional Court gave Parliament 30 days to act against the Ipid head, but that deadline lapsed leaving McBride to return to his job.

Chairman of the portfolio committee on police, Francois Beukman, could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The matter has been left in the hands of the committee. This week Nhleko wrote to Mbete asking for Parliament to revive the disciplinary action. This month, the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court withdrew charges of fraud and defeating the ends of justice against McBride on the rendition of Zimbabweans.

It was alleged that he had tampered with the report on former Hawks head Anwa Dramat. McBride denied the charges against him.

The court also withdrew charges against his former colleagues Mathews Sesoko and Innocent Khuba, the former head of Ipid in Limpopo. Sesoko, who was the director of investigations at Ipid, had indicated he would fight to get his job back after the court withdrew charges against him.

The portfolio committee on police will consider the letter from Nhleko to Mbete.

Nhleko was not impressed when McBride was allowed to return to work after the Parliamentary inquiry deadline lapsed. He said McBride would report to the Speaker.

This is despite the law being clear that the head of Ipid falls under the Minister of Police. Ructions within state agencies have led to divisions within government.