Newly appointed police minister Senzo Mchunu has appointed former police watchdog senior investigator Cedrick Nkabinde as his chief of staff, causing outrage among the faction-ridden police top brass, particularly those Nkabinde previously investigated.
Sunday World saw a letter on Thursday confirming
Nkabinde’s “appointment as chief of staff in the private office of the minister of police”.
Nkabinde left the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) in 2018 after
falling out with then head Robert McBride.
This was over allegations of smear campaigns targeting senior cops with the potential to upset McBride’s alleged ambitions then to become the national police commissioner.
The saga underscored the battle between McBride, now head of the country’s foreign branch of the State Security Agency, and police leadership, including former acting police commissioners Lt-Gen Kgomotso Phahlane and Lt-Gen Lesetja Mothiba, as well as their successor, General Khehla Sithole.
But Nkabinde withdrew the allegations when he and McBride signed a settlement on September 19, 2018, which saw him resign from the watchdog “by mutual agreement”.
Ahead of Nkabinde’s appointment, Mchunu’s backers challenged critics to present proof that Nkabinde had ever been found guilty of wrongdoing, had a pending case against him or a previous conviction. In the absence of proof, Mchunu forged ahead with the appointment.
Last week, Mchunu’s spokesperson, Kamogelo Mogotsi, said that screening in respect of
Nkabinde for the chief of staff position was still underway.
“Human resources is carrying out the necessary checks.”
Nkabinde gained fame in early 2018 when he arrested notorious crime intelligence Captain Morris “KGB” Tshabalala, whose career in the SAPS was marred by allegations of criminal activities and political machinations. Tshabalala faced charges for allegedly
defrauding the secret service account of over R500 000.
However, Nkabinde later turned against McBride, resulting in his suspension in May 2018.
McBride alleged that crime intelligence had approached Ipid members, promised them a promotion in the spy unit if they agreed to give statements implicating him.
Nkabinde had allegedly not revealed that someone had approached him but his allies denied the allegations.
By April 2018, with Bheki Cele appointed as the police minister, the dynamics had shifted. Nkabinde forwarded a damaging report against McBride to Cele, accusing him of misconduct. Even after Nkabinde withdrew the allegations, Cele used them to justify not renewing McBride’s contract.
Sources close to Nkabinde denied he had conspired with Cele to axe McBride, saying he was not even aware the former police minister would use the report in parliament.
A lengthy legal battle resulted in Cele’s decision not to renew McBride’scontract, ultimately referring the matter to the parliamentary police portfolio committee. Cele’s recommendation influenced the committee’s final decision, leading to McBride’s removal.
