Purge fear as Mdluli shakes up division

CONTROVERSIAL police crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli plans to introduce major changes in his unit, sparking fears of a looming purge of his opponents.

The Sunday Times has seen a letter Mdluli wrote to police unions informing them of the "reorganisation" of his division, which he said were "necessitated" by the recent integration of the VIP Protection Unit into his department.

Insiders said the latest move was Mdluli's attempt to strengthen his grip on the unit by sidelining those he perceived as rivals.

Concerns were raised that this would give Mdluli, through the VIP Protection Unit, access to the movements of all cabinet members and politicians guarded by the unit.

A senior crime intelligence source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said this was the first of many changes Mdluli would be making to consolidate his grip on power.

"This is Mdluli's way of redeploying people that did not support him and to get rid of people that were part of the investigation against him," he said.

Mdluli is associated with the ANC faction that supports President Jacob Zuma's re-election bid. He authored a controversial covert report that claimed senior ANC leaders and cabinet ministers were plotting to remove Zuma.

Police spokesman Vishnu Naidoo said the changes were part of a strategy to improve the division's performance.

"Any changes made within divisions of the SA Police Service are made to improve efficiency and provide opportunity for development and empowerment of staff.

"These are departmental processes which will remain internal," Naidoo said.

Mdluli was not available for comment.

In his letter to the unions, Mdluli said the reorganisation "will inevitably result in the placement of officials to other components and sections of crime intelligence, and those that cannot be accommodated within the division will be placed within SAPS."

The letter appears not to have reached the top unions, as both the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru) and South African Policing Union (Sapu) denied any knowledge of it.

"We have not received that letter," said Popcru general secretary Nkosinathi Theledi.

Sapu's Oscar Skommer said no letter had reached his office.

"There might be some movements of people but it is not official. In this instance we don't know really [what is happening]."

Skommer said according to labour laws, employee representatives of the SAPS were supposed to table such matters before the relevant bargaining council.

"It is a matter of consultation. Mdluli cannot just inform unions without proper consultation."

Mdluli's recent reinstatement to his position caused an uproar as allegations of corruption against him surfaced.

A report compiled by Major-General Mark Hankel recently alleged nepotism and corruption under Mdluli's watch. This includes alleged abuse of the Secret Services Account fund, and misuse of covert vehicles.

It was also alleged that 23 people who are family members or close to Mdluli and his associates were "inappropriately" employed as agents or promoted to senior ranks.

Mdluli is also a subject of an inquest into the murder of his former girlfriend's husband, Oupa Ramogibe, which took place in 1999.

Mdluli, Nkosana Ximba, Samuel Dhlomo and Mtunzi-Omhle Mtunzi were initially charged with Ramogibe's murder last year, but the charges were provisionally withdrawn in February.

During the inquest this week, the Boksburg Magistrate's Court heard that Mdluli had promoted Ximba and Mtunzi despite the two having criminal records or pending cases against them.