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President Jacob Zuma’s chief bodyguard, Major General King Bhoyi Ngcobo, has been appointed acting head of the police’s crime intelligence unit.
In a statement released earlier tonight, the police confirmed the appointment of Ngcobo (52), shortly after acting national police commissioner Lieutenant General Lesetja Mothiba announced that he was going to be overseeing the portfolio himself.
This follows Monday’s dismissal of previous acting crime intelligence head, Major General Pat Mokushane, after City Press reported that he had a criminal record, allegedly ran his private companies from his office and had an affair with a subordinate officer’s wife.
In tonight’s statement, Mothiba was quoted as saying: “On behalf of the SAPS, I congratulate Major General Ngcobo on his appointment in this acting capacity and we have no doubt that he will live up to all expectations.”
In the statement, Ngcobo is said to come “into this post with a wealth of policing experience after having served over twenty years in the South African Police Service”.
“During these two decades of faithful service, Major General Ngcobo has also served within the crime intelligence environment.
“Crime intelligence is a critical environment that needs a leader that is hard working, experienced, with good leadership qualities and is a person of good standing. Major General Ngcobo fits these requirements perfectly.”
However in May, City Press reported that Ngcobo was accused of submitting a fake matric certificate before being appointed head of VIP protection services.
Ngcobo, also known by his clan name Mapholoba, is known to be a “Zuma man” within police and intelligence circles. He was promoted to the post, despite not having the required NQF Level 6, one of the stipulated requirements when the post was advertised.
In June, City Press reported that Mokushane (57), who was appointed to the acting position earlier that month, was found guilty in 2002 for violating the National Road Traffic Act and had not been granted the security clearance he needed to do the job.
Three independent sources within and close to the police’s crime intelligence division said Mokushane, a member “in good standing” of the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans’ Association (MKMVA) also appointed his wife as his personal assistant days after he was given the acting job.
City Press also reported that crime intelligence officers were threatening to strike over Mokushane’s appointment, after he ordered them to vacate their headquarters and be deployed to the police clusters. This, senior unit sources said, was being done to restructure the unit and create jobs for non-statutory force (NSF) members – mainly members of Umkhonto we Sizwe who were being brought in, the source said, to handle “sensitive investigations”.
These “sensitive investigations” were expected to target politicians and members of nongovernmental organisations who oppose President Jacob Zuma, as well as journalists, in the run-up to the ANC’s December elective conference.
