McBride's friend keeps state vehicles
June 7 2007 at 04:26am
Sta
rUnused: Ekurhuleni metro
police officer Mxolisi Kali allegedly drives three state vehicles and parks
them at his house. One of the vehicles has been in an accident and two are
broken. Photo: Sizwe Ndingane
By Alex Eliseev
Three Ekurhuleni metro police vehicles have for months been used by one
of Robert McBride's right-hand men and have been parked in the driveway of his
home.
Despite a dire shortage, the vehicles have been spotted at the house for
two months. One has been in an accident and two are broken.
This comes as five members of the Crime Prevention Unit - tasked with
educating communities - had their vehicles taken away in January and are
sitting without a single vehicle.
The South African Municipal Workers' Union (Samwu) has lashed out at
McBride, the metro police chief, for being "irresponsible" with state
vehicles.
"There is a severe shortage of equipment for metro police
officers... these vehicles are supposed to be used properly," said Samwu's
eastern branch secretary, Koena Ramotlou.
The marked patrol vehicle is "specially designed to transport
firearms and ammunition".
Ramotlou claimed the Mercedes-Benz was involved in an accident two weeks
ago, while the patrol vehicle was damaged on Monday. Metro police say only one
vehicle has been crashed.
Ramotlou added that one of the vehicles was initially reported as a
stolen car.
The house belongs to Mxolisi Kali, the metro police's armourer. Kali is
a long-time friend of McBride and, according to sources, is one of his
right-hand men. According to records, the two men testified at amnesty hearings
- in connection with the political struggle - in 2000, where McBride said he
had known Kali since 1992. Kali lives in Katlehong.
Ekurhuleni metro police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Wilfred
Kgasago argued that the marked 4x4 vehicle was Kali's official vehicle - which
he was entitled to - and the Mercedes was a "loan vehicle to execute
duties other than his specialised duty of being an armourer".
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Although The Star photographed all three vehicles on Tuesday, Kgasago
said the 4x4 was at a Kempton Park workshop (after Monday's crash) and the
Mercedes was in an Alberton workshop (due to a mechanical fault - not an
accident).
Kgasago said the bakkie was at the house because of broken brakes. It
had been used to perform undercover surveillance, and was meant to have been
returned two to three weeks ago. He said the Mercedes had been with Kali for no
longer than two weeks.
Ramotlou fumed because McBride hasn't been charged over the accident he
allegedly caused on December 21 last year, in which a state-owned Chevrolet was
rolled.
He said that in March, a junior officer in the same department was found
guilty of crashing a state vehicle while on duty and had been ordered to pay
the cost of repairing the car.
Kgasago said the circumstances between the two cases could be different.
Samwu and McBride are caught up in a nasty court case over a protest in
November where McBride arrested striking members. McBride's controversial car
crash is still being investigated.
Once complete, the docket - which has been going back and forth between
the police and the Director of Public Prosecutions - will be handed over to the
DPP for a decision on whether criminal charges will be laid.
