DA slams Phiyega’s ‘lack of leadership’
September 29 2014 at 04:24am
National police commissioner
RiahPhiyega. File picture: Ian Landsberg
Johannesburg - The Democratic Alliance on Sunday
said it was time for President Jacob Zuma to consider “discharging” national
police commissioner RiahPhiyega.
“The national police commissioner has embarrassed
herself time and time again through a lack of policing knowledge and as a
result, has shown a lack of leadership,” the DA’s Dianne Kohler Barnard said in
a statement.
“Unfortunately, Phiyega has become better known for
what she says rather than what she does... The reality is that she is coming
under scrutiny for failing to show leadership at crucial moments.
“The time has now come to seriously consider
discharging RiahPhiyega.”
The Sunday Tribune reported that Zuma ordered a
ministerial probe into allegations of misconduct against Phiyega.
Police ministry spokesman Musa Zondi said the
department would not comment on the report.
Kohler Barnard said the DA would request that the
ministerial probe into Phiyega's conduct be expanded to include her record in
office to determine if she was a “fit and proper person to hold this crucial
office”.
She said there has not been a career police officer
appointed as national police commissioner since 2000 and the effects of
political appointments have been devastating.
“We now have an under-resourced, under-trained and
increasingly brutal police service,” she said.
On September 13, the National Prosecuting Authority
said it will not pursue complaints of defeating the ends of justice against
Phiyega.
At the time, spokesman NathiMncube said that after
duly considering the statements and evidence in the docket, the DPP declined to
prosecute.
“It is considered that there are no reasonable
prospects of a successful prosecution,” he said at the time.
Mncube said the Ipid referred the docket to
National Director of Public Prosecutions MxolisiNxasana when it had completed
its investigation.
It asked Nxasana that a decision be made in terms
of section 7(4) of the Ipid Act.
He said the Independent Police Investigative
Directorate investigated the complaint made against Phiyega last year.
In October last year, the Ipid said it would
investigate allegations that Phiyega tipped off Western Cape commissioner
Lieutenant-General Arno Lamoer about an investigation against him by crime
intelligence.
According to reports, Phiyega told Lamoer on three
occasions that she was aware he was under investigation.
The Sunday Independent at the time reported that
their telephone conversations had been legally recorded by crime intelligence
operatives monitoring Lamoer's calls.
Phiyega denied tipping off Lamoer. - Sapa
