Minister wants top cop axed

POLICE Minister Fikile Mbalula’s relationship with acting national police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Lesetja Mothiba, has collapsed and the minister wants the top cop removed from his post.

Sources close to both parties said allegations of Mothiba leading “rogue elements” within SAPS crime intelligence were central to the fallout.

Mbalula yesterday said he had “been made aware” of the alleged shenanigans besieging crime intelligence, saying he was “intervening” in the matter, including the alleged appointment of people with criminal cases to the department.

“I was at crime intelligence last week, where I was briefed on what is going on. I gave them a set of tasks that I want completed and I told them I expect feedback in two weeks,” Mbalula said, refusing to be drawn on what the “tasks” were.

However, an official who was at the crime intelligence meeting said Mbalula was “gunning” for Mothiba, as the minister was aware of alleged attempts by Mothiba and his supposed “rogue intelligence operatives” to target him in an elaborative scheme known as “Operation Lexus”.

“Operation Lexus is operating out of a safe-house in Alberton (Ekurhuleni) and is aimed at framing the minister for the October 2015 murder of businessman Wandile Bozwana,” said the source, who asked to remain anonymous.

Bozwana, who was chairperson of the North West Business Forum at the time of his death, died in hospital after being shot in a car while with a female companion.

National police spokesperson, Major-General Sally de Beer, said she could neither confirm nor deny the investigations into Mothiba, referring all queries to Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid).

Ipid communications officer Mpho Moeti said the spokesperson, Moses Dlamini, was out of the country.

Moeti did, however, promise to respond to questions sent to Ipid, but had not at the time of publication.