JOHN DLUDLU: Why it’s so difficult to have a sleaze-free police service

It’s probably too early to say how many scalps will be claimed by the two inquiries into SA’s criminal justice system. However, it is definitely not too soon to conclude how deep the rot is, at least in the police service.

For the past two months South Africans have been treated to a “dramedy” of the goings-on in the SA Police Service, among political bosses and a glimpse into the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD).

The inquiries — the Madlanga Commission and parliament’s ad hoc committee into the criminal justice system — were triggered by a July press conference called by Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner. In the briefing he told the media of a dark web of networks involving the police top brass, politicians, members of the judiciary and criminal syndicates involved in the drug trade, among other crimes.

Critically, he accused police minister Senzo Mchunu, one of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s allies, of irregularly disbanding a task team appointed to investigate killings of mostly ANC politicians in KwaZulu-Natal. The effective team was set up at the behest of Ramaphosa in 2018.

Overnight Mkhwanazi exploded into something of a hero and Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi even admits to trying unsuccessfully to poach Mkhwanazi to Gauteng.

Up until the July media briefing Mkhwanazi was known for his unorthodox crime-fighting methods, with a number of the province’s most wanted criminals sent to meet their maker after shootouts with his men and women.

Mkhwanazi and the police top brass have appeared before the Madlanga commission and the unfiltered parliamentary probe.

Mchunu has all but lost his government job and his political career and his rumoured presidential ambition hang in the balance.

A month after being suspended by Ramaphosa he asked the ANC’s national working committee to permit him to step aside from party duties. The committee declined this request, but the weekend meeting of the ANC’s national executive committee granted it.

Unlike other step-asides, Mchunu’s is voluntary. He is charged with nothing — a requirement that triggers a compulsory step-aside. This puts him on the moral high ground for now.

But there are other implications. Being out of the ANC deprives him of access to structures that could aid his campaign. It also means he cannot participate in next month’s national general council of the party, which is normally a dry run for the elective conference.

His chief of staff is on special leave and is now facing perjury charges arising from his appearance before the ad hoc committee.

Dumisani Khumalo, head of crime intelligence, is facing criminal charges, while Shadrack Sibiya, head of crime detection, is on suspension pending disciplinary proceedings.

Two high-ups in the EMPD are on suspension, while some of the underworld characters have been charged.

The inquiries — especially the ad hoc committee — may claim other unintended political scalps in coming months.

According to Bheki Cele, former national police commissioner and police minister, the police are outgunned by the private security industry.

A disturbing picture is emerging. It is clear that the apartheid national police, including its Bantustan enforcers, focused on protecting whites and suppressing blacks. As long as this script was followed, a semblance of leadership stability was obtained.

After 1994 a unitary police force was created from the merger of the various forces. Significantly, little to no effort was made to implement change management during and after the integration process of armed and police forces or any other public services.

In their recent book, Contested Transition — Reflections on SA’s Education System (1994-99), activists Chabani Manganyi, Harry Nengwenkulu and Ahmed Essop write about the mammoth challenges of merging many education departments.

In the police, corruption appears to have replaced apartheid enforcement. Consequently, only one of the postapartheid police commissioners has served out a term. It’s hard to think of a clean police force without radical culture change.

• Dludlu, a former editor of Sowetan, is CEO of the Small Business Institute.