Mdluli's letter to Zuma shows crime intelligence 'involved in party politics'

A 2010 letter penned by former crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli to then president Jacob Zuma seems to show that intelligence operatives interfered in ANC matters, particularly in trying to influence the outcomes of the party's national conferences.

Mdluli penned the letter to Zuma and ministers in the security cluster, asking for intervention in investigating crime intelligence members for meddling in the politics of the party.

The letter was provided to the state capture inquiry on Friday by seasoned Hawks investigator Col Kobus Roelofse on his last day testifying before the commission.

The letter came at a time when investigations into allegations of kidnapping and assault against Mdluli were ongoing. Mdluli has since been found guilty. He was due to be sentenced on Thursday, but the court date was postponed.

In the letter, dated November 2010, Mdluli denies the allegations and says that it was the same investigators who were trying to “take control of the intelligence environment” before the ANC's Mangaung conference in 2012.

“These are the very same members that were involved in negative campaigning at the ANC conference in Polokwane in 2007. They were in the camp of the former president [Thabo Mbeki] and are now trying to take control of the intelligence environment within the police for devious tactics,” Roelofse said, quoting the letter.

“The question now arises, what and how do they want to use the intelligence environment to affect the 2012 build up-to the ANC conference?”

Roelofse said the letter confirmed that crime intelligence was involved in factional party politics.

“It confirms the fact that crime intelligence is involved in party politics and is involved in the ANC conference, which they are not supposed to do. It is not part of their mandate,” he said.