olice investigations into the suspected political murders of Jimmy Mohlala and Samuel ‘Sammy’ Mpatlanyane may have to start afresh after their widows reopened the cold cases at the Nelspruit Police Station on Thursday, April 30.

The widows, Bonny Mohlala and Pinky Mpatlanyane, were assisted by the South African Communist Party (SACP) following allegations of police interference made by suspended Mpumalanga police commissioner Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela.

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The latter made the damning allegations against senior police officials in the province during a hastily arranged press briefing at the Southern Sun Mbombela on April 19.

Manamela’s allegations

Among her claims, Manamela alleged that retired Mpumalanga deputy police commissioner Major General Botsotso Moukangwe confessed that he and national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola received R5m from Kaizer Chiefs boss Bobby Motaung.

According to Manamela, this money was a bribe in exchange for making sure that she did not return from suspension, as she would reopen investigations into high-profile cases.

Moukangwe dismissed the allegations saying he was not even in Mpumalanga when Mohlala and Mpatlanyane were murdered.

“I was working in Pretoria at the time so these allegations are definitely far-fetched. She (Manamela) must produce proof to her allegations. I have already instituted a lawsuit against her because of her lies. All that she must do is to go and answer questions in the Board of Inquiry where she is accused of serious allegations,” said Moukangwe.

Meanwhile, the Hawks arrested Motaung on August 15, 2012, following fraud and forgery allegations linked to the construction of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Mbombela Stadium. Motaung is alleged to have used a fraudulent tax clearance certificate to secure a tender.

Manamela insisted that Motaung’s charges were directly linked with the Jimmy’s murder.

He was gunned down at his KaNyamazane home on January 3, 2009, after speaking out about alleged corruption in the stadium project. At the time he was the speaker for Mbombela.

Sammy – then head of communications for the provincial Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation – was shot dead in his house at Stonehenge during the night of January 8, 2010.

The Madlanga Commission

Manamela’s allegations triggered calls for top level investigations, including that they be escalated to the ongoing Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System led by Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, which is also known as the Madlanga Commission.

It was established by President Cyril Ramaphosa following a press briefing held by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, in which he pointed to a high level corruption within the justice clusters.

Subsequently, the Madlanga Commission urged Manamela to submit a sworn affidavit and supporting evidence for her corruption claims.

SACP press briefing

The SACP held its own press briefing on April 30, and invited both Bonny and Pinky to attend.

“We saw it important to invite the two widows, because during her briefing Manamela detailed repeated interference, manipulation of dockets, protection of criminal syndicates, and deliberate undermining of her authority by senior officers, including allegations of bribery and collusion to ensure she does not return to work. The killings of Jimmy and Sammy have become cold cases,” said the party’s provincial secretary, Lucky Mbuyane.

“For example, Manamela alleged that a R5m payment was made to senior police officials to keep her suspended, and that her powers to discipline corrupt officers were systematically stripped away by the Nascom,” added Mbuyane.

Reopening of the cold cases

After this briefing, the SACP accompanied the widows to the Nelspruit Police Station with the intention to reopen the cases.

Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli confirmed the families were at the station, adding that detectives would provide feedback within a week.

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Bonny confirmed that her husband’s murder case had been reopened and welcomed the prospect of a new investigation. “It just can’t be that a case of this magnitude can just disappear. It has to be investigated from scratch for justice to prevail and so that we can find closure.”

Pinky said she and her family were praying for a clean, clinical and authentic investigation so they could all find closure. “We were all together at the SAPS Provincial Office to request the reopening of the January murder cases. We are waiting to hear about the signed affidavit of Lieutenant General Manamela to the Madlanga Commission. If she still alleges that there was interference with the dockets by SAPS officials, we will definitely open a case against the police,” said Pinky.