By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The National Coloured Congress (NCC) MP Fadiel Adams has laid a criminal complaint against the national police commissioner Fannie Masemola.
Earlier in the week, He laid perjury charges against Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi after he retracted serious allegations he made against former police minister Bheki Cele.
The criminal charges were laid at Cape Town Central Police station on Tuesday morning.
In his affidavit, Adams said of the retracted allegations: “Such statements have the potential to erode public trust in SAPS leadership and create confusion regarding official investigations. I further express concern that if such false allegations were made publicly against a Minister, other persons may also be falsely accused by General Mkhwanazi without substantial evidence. These false public allegations still constitute serious misconduct and possibly a criminal false accusation (defamation or defeating justice).”
Adams says pressing criminal charges against top SAPS members has nothing to do with retaliating against Mkhwanazi. He promises to lay more charges against the latter.
Mkhwanazi has also accused Adams of being in possession of confidential Crime Intelligence information.
During his testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and Parliament Ad Hoc Committee, Mkhwanazi said the sensitive intelligence was intended exclusively for vetted members of the Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence.
He argued that Adams is not a member of a parliamentary body tasked with overseeing intelligence services.
In a rebuttal, Adams said, Mkhwanazi has an issue with me having obtained top secret information.
He is talking top secret information in the commission without having the relevant security clearance.
“The provincial commissioner does not have top secret classification which means he is not supposed to receive top secret classified documents. Which means he can’t dispense a budget properly, he can’t give a directive properly because he does not have access to top secret information. Or does he? Is he guilty of the same thing he is accusing me of. This man is a walking contradiction,” said Adams.
Adams also claimed that Mkhwanazi’s press briefing had been a calculated move “to save his friends”, referring to Masemola and intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo.
“Remember, I’m the one that laid criminal charges against the heads of crime intelligence over a year, about a year ago.
Adams insisted that ultimate responsibility for misconduct within Saps rests with Masemola, as the department’s accounting officer.
He described Mkhwanazi as a ‘politicised’ officer. “The bravest general in the country, when his province was burning, he went on leave. During the KZN riots, the man disappeared,” he claimed.
Speaking to the media after launching the provincial festive season safety plan on Thursday, Mkhwanazi dared Adams to bring it on, saying he would deal with his issues at the Ad Hoc Committee, as he is going back there.
“If there is any case opened at the police station, anyone has got the right to open a case. Police must investigate.
“If there is a crime committed and the police feel that they must take that to the courts, the courts will decide to prosecute or not to prosecute.
He added: “If Adams, whom I spoke about in that commission, feels that he must then use the strategy to threaten or intimidate, it’s ok. I am [not] afraid of that”.
“We already understand which side of law he is on, and we will find each other at the right place. Let it happen; he must bring it on. I will never be afraid of it.”
In this context, Mkhwanazi has become a hero to many South Africans who are fed up with the government’s failure to address chronic social ills.
According to the World Population Review, South Africa has the fifth highest crime index in the world, following Venezuela, Papua New Guinea, Afghanistan and Haiti. South Africa also ranks 82nd in the world on the corruption perception index compiled by the NGO Transparency International.