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Barely in the job for five days, Khomotso Phahlane claims he’s the victim of a smear campaign. And Riah Phiyega says she’s been wrongfully targeted too
South Africa’s new top cop has lashed out at his detractors within the police, who he says have falsely accused him of having affairs with junior colleagues and fathering their children.
In an interview late on Friday night, acting national police commissioner Lieutenant General Khomotso Phahlane, who was appointed by President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday, told City Press about a smear campaign against him that was aimed at preventing him from rising in the ranks. Phahlane said three “fellow officers” had “made up stories” about him fathering children with two female subordinates, including a sensational claim that one of the children was “hidden away in Cape Town”.
He said they also falsely accused him of using state money to throw himself a birthday party at the police college in Pretoria West when he was head of personnel.
Phahlane, a career policeman with 30 years’ experience, was the divisional commissioner responsible for forensic services when he was appointed acting national commissioner following Phiyega’s suspension. He spoke of plans to reduce police killings, tackle divisive “camps” in the service, and force officers to improve their case administration to ensure they were more effective when their cases went to court.
Phahlane said he would get tough on officers who did not like to wear their bulletproof vests.
“How many of these guys die from shot wounds to the body? You have good stories of people who say: ‘If it wasn’t for that bulletproof jacket, I would have [died].’”
Regarding factions in the SA Police Service (SAPS), he said: “We are not supposed to have camps – our purpose is to render services to the people of this country, and that should be our focus. My current role is to remind people of what our constitutional obligations are, and rally them to focus on that.”
He would ensure police “go back to basics. A pocket book is needed to record everything you do. If I arrest you, I must say I’m arresting you at this time. If followed to the letter, this can’t be disputed in court,” he said.
Of his career, Phahlane said: “I was there as a patrol officer; I was there as a gate guard somewhere. I was there as a charge office commander; as a detective; as an information gatherer. That is something very few can boast about. I have a serious track record in strategic management. I was the section head responsible for strategic development and headed basic training; I headed international training; I was the head of human resources.”
In a pre-emptive strike, Phahlane spent much of the interview railing against his enemies within the police, naming three officers in particular. Of all the allegations he faced, the one of him fathering children with fellow officers was the worst, he said.
“The most hurtful allegation is that there are two brigadiers I was drawn into having a relationship with, one from Cape Town and the other from North West,” he said. “The white one, they said I fathered a child with her, and we are hiding the child in Cape Town because our child is coloured. This [other] one, I guess our child is black – because both of us are black. It hurts because these are our colleagues [making the allegations],” he said.
The married father of four said the allegations were levelled by members of police union Popcru whom he disciplined after they cheated in an exam.
He subsequently asked Phiyega to institute an independent investigation, which cleared him. He has instituted civil claims against his accusers.
Phahlane said there was “a trend” within the police that whenever the national police commissioner job became vacant, false allegations abounded to keep qualified cops out of contention.
“There’s no way you can apply for a national commissioner’s post, because it is the prerogative of the president. All they wanted was to muddy my name,” he said
Out: Riah Phiyega
Riah Phiyega is not considering resigning or accepting any golden handshake, and remains determined to beat the board of inquiry President Jacob Zuma convened to look into her fitness to hold office.
A senior officer and confidant of the suspended national commissioner says Phiyega is preparing to “defend herself” and refuses to back down. If she succeeds, she will be the second leader within the criminal justice system to do so, after former national director of public prosecutions Vusi Pikoli.
“She is not going to resign and will wait for the commission of inquiry to complete its work. She has 20 months before her term ends and will wait for her fate to be decided,” said her confidant.
The senior police officer and member of Phiyega’s inner circle told City Press that the suspended commissioner had been expecting her suspension because Zuma had warned her about it.
The way she got the boot – while she was presenting the annual report of the SA Police Service (SAPS) to Parliament’s portfolio committee on police – was roundly criticised for being unnecessary and humiliating.
“The president informed her that his hands were bound by the recommendations of the Farlam commission of inquiry into police action at Marikana,” said her confidant.
City Press understands that among the reasons she gave to the presidency as to why she should keep her job, was that she had “done very well”, had “professionalised” the SAPS and launched a police university in partnership with Unisa.
“She is in the process of professionalising the police service and has increased the training from six months to two years, among other key developments.”
Phiyega also cited the successful conviction of Czech mobster Radovan Krejcir as one of the highlights of her leadership.
She told Zuma that she should not be held responsible for the Marikana massacre because she had only been in the job for 64 days when it happened.
Phiyega has told her inner circle that she is the victim of a conspiracy among “certain people” with “business and other interests” who want her out of the job. There are “campaigns aimed at discrediting her,” said her confidant.
“One day, she is going to talk about everything that has happened and how attempts were made to discredit her shortly after her appointment.”
It emerged this week that Robert McBride, the suspended head of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, recommended in January to Police Minister Nathi Nhleko that Phiyega be placed on precautionary suspension and investigated for misconduct for not taking action against KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Mmamonnye Ngobeni and other officers alleged to be in a corrupt relationship with Durban businessman Thoshan Panday.
Phiyega is also said to be fuming about the emergence of a portion of the transcripts handed to Parliament’s portfolio committee on police this week. The committee was conducting an inquiry into whether provincial commissioners lied when they said Phiyega did not order them to issue a statement in which they voiced support for her.
“They selectively leaked the transcripts to suit their purpose,” said the senior officer.
“The commissioners will spill the beans when the time is right.”
In the transcripts, Phiyega reprimands provincial commissioners for their silence after the release of the Marikana report.
She says: “You are the leaders. But all I can say is that everybody [is] saying everything about you, about your work. But your silence – your silence is deafening.”
