Reports claims Mbalula attempted to stop police intelligence spying on him
Mbalula allegedly took control of crime intelligence against the acting national police commissioner's wishes and in collaboration with the head of crime intelligence.
Fikile Mbalula during the announcement of the 2016/17 crime statistics. (Photo by Gallo Images / Sowetan / Esa Alexander)
EWN reported this afternoon that it has learnt that crime intelligence operatives are spying on Police Minister Fikile Mbalula.
The news agency claims that in retaliation, Mbalula has instructed the acting divisional commissioner of crime intelligence Boy Ngcobo to take action against the unit.
Mbalula reportedly issued a directive the news agency said it could confirm was being executed. It is reported Mbalula further ordered Ngcobo to rescind the promotion of several operatives he suspects spied on him.
The news report further stated intelligence records showed Ngcobo was issuing the instructions despite acting national police commissioner Lesetja Mothiba disagreeing with Mbalula, as he had failed to provide prima facie evidence that the unit was spying on him and asked that the matter be referred to the inspector of intelligence.
He has also reportedly told Ngcobo to not carry out Mbalula’s instruction, or else he would face disciplinary action. EWN’s Barry Bateman reports that this was the primary reason Mbalula took over the unit’s control in a move Institute of Security Studies (ISS) slammed as irregular and bringing the police intelligence unit under political control.
READ MORE: Police ministry denies allegation that Mbalula has taken over intelligence
Meanwhile, a secret photograph of Mbalula posing with a group of men identified by sources, according to News24, as crime intelligence operatives allocated to specifically work for him has surfaced earlier today.
The media house reports Mbalula’s spokesperson, Vuyo Mhaga, said on Monday that while the men in the photograph were indeed linked to police, they did not work for Mbalula.
Mhaga is said to have argued that exposing the identities of the men could put their lives at risk, given the nature of their work. He also reportedly questioned the motive behind the leak. In the photograph, five men stand to one side of a smiling Mbalula, while three stand on the other.
The Citizen has decided to not publish the photograph of the seven alleged undercover crime intelligence officers despite their faces being blurred.
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