Zuma’s son tried to sway Hawks
Edward was silent partner in R15m ‘dividend’
FORMER KwaZulu-Natal Hawks head Johan Booysen yesterday told the Zondo Commission into State Capture that former president Jacob Zuma’s son Edward unsuccessfully tried to persuade the elite crime-fighting unit to unfreeze a R15-million payment by the police to controversial Durban businessman Thoshan Panday.
Booysen was the second witness to testify on law enforcement agencies, following former head of Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) Robert McBride.
The Panday saga involved a Hawks probe into a R60m irregular and allegedly fraudulent deal between him and the KwaZulu-Natal police for the procurement of mattresses, blankets, TV sets, and accommodation for police officers for the 2010 World Cup.
Some of the claims submitted by Panday, 99% of which were for accommodating cops, were allegedly inflated or false.
Booysen said Edward went as far as visiting his office, where he pleaded for the remaining and frozen R15m of the deal to be paid to Panday as he wanted his cut.
“He started talking about the R15m while I had it frozen. He asked if it was possible for me to unfreeze the money. I said what is your interest in this money and he said he is a silent partner with Thoshan Panday and that he is not getting his dividends because I have frozen the money,” Booysen said.
He said he told him that he would not unfreeze the money as it would also be fraud and corruption.
Earlier, Booysen detailed to the commission how support, including from then national police commissioner Bheki Cele, did not stop unscrupulous efforts aimed at blocking his probe on the Panday fraud case, which implicated senior cops in the province.
Booysen had initially tried to hide his investigation from then provincial police commissioner Mmamonnye Ngobeni, when he was alerted of irregularities by the police provincial head of financial services, Lawrence Kemp. Ngobeni soon found out and instructed him to halt it, Booysen said.
Booysen said Ngobeni had called him, Kemp and his investigators to a meeting in May 2010 in which one of the implicated cops in attendance asked about the probe.
“It was quite an uncomfortable meeting. Ngobeni aimed her frustrations towards general Kemp. She accused him of being more concerned about finances and money than the lives of the citizens.
“The more Kemp tried to explain to her, the more she interrupted him and admonished him,” Booysens said.