By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Lieutenant General Siphesihle Nkosi has been appointed as the new deputy head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), widely known as the Hawks crime fighting unit.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by DPCI head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya and his management team.
They were briefing the media on the milestones achieved since the previous quarter (2nd Quarter 2022/2023).
“General Nkosi has an immense experience in fraud and commercial crime investigations,” Lebeya said.
“In addition to several certificates behind his name, he holds a National Diploma in Police Administration, two honours degrees Bachelor of Technology in Policing, and a Bachelor of Laws. He is currently studying towards a Master’s degree in Philosophy,” he said.
Preceding Nkosi’s appointment were the appointments of the Component Head, Executive Support Services (ESS), Major General J Surajbali. Brigadier BT Davenport and Brigadier PL Bergh were promoted to Provincial Commanders for Priority Crime Specialised Investigation (PCSI) in Mpumalanga and Western Cape, respectively.
During the same period, the Hawks appointed Brigadier VS Hastings as Provincial Commander, Corporate Support Services. Brigadier ML Kgalapa was employed as Section Head, Financial Investigations.
Brigadier SC Mojela was appointed as Provincial Commander, Serious Organised Crime Investigation (SOCI) Northern Cape, while Brigadier M Monyela was assigned Section Head for Human Resource Management Development.
Lebeya said a further five senior managers would be appointed by 1 December and another three by 1 January 2023.
Cases
Lebeya highlighted fifity cases the Hawks investigated, including that of the Winnie Madikizela Museum project.
“Between January 2008 and December 2010, the funds that were set aside by the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture for the Brandfort Museum project, popularly known as the Winnie Mandela Museum, were allegedly stolen in the hands of the department and Lejweleputswa District Municipality.”
He said service providers were reportedly appointed without following proper procurement processes.
“As a result of these irregular activities, the department lost more than R700 000.”
Lebeya said following an intensive investigation by the Hawks in the Free State, six people were arrested on 20 September 2022.
The accused are charged with fraud, theft and contravention of the Municipal Finance Management Act. The case is postponed to 7 December 2022.
Arrests
Lebeya said the Hawks arrested at least 827 suspects that were successfully brought before the various courts across the country.
“During the same period, 217 accused persons were convicted and sentenced which earned them a title of being a criminal. The majority of arrests emanate from Serious Organised Crime Investigation with a total of 524 arrests.”
Serious corruption
Lebeya said corruption continues to surface as one of the biggest threats posed by criminals in the country.
“It facilitate illicit financial funds which triggered our response to focus on money laundering charges initiated through criminal investigations. Corruption cases are a special breed, in that they are committed in secret by consenting parties, which requires a lot of digging to unearth such cases.”
Phala Phala
Lebeya says his unit has 68 statements which have been filed regarding its investigation into the robbery at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala farm.
He said investigations are continuing but they are not “reporting blow by blow” on the matter.
“We are not reporting blow by blow on this investigation, but we can indicate we have 68 statements that have been filed. We are continuing with the investigations. We have professional investigators, senior officers and prosecutors looking at whatever we are recording to ensure it is in line with the law,” he said.
In June, former spy boss Arthur Fraser laid criminal charges against Ramaphosa over an alleged burglary at his Limpopo game farm in February 2020.
Fraser alleged Ramaphosa’s farm was burgled of $4m (about R67.8m) in cash by two foreign nationals. The money was alleged to be stuffed in couches inside the president’s home.