Cele lease saga takes sinister turn

The ANC, opposition parties and pressure groups have demanded answers from National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele, says a report in The Mercury . The ANC said 'only a guilty party' would behave in this manner. Cele has pleaded ignorance, insisting that the attempt to get documents was not sanctioned by his office. He has promised a swift investigation. The documents the police agents were seeking pertain to a report written by a firm of attorneys which was included in the Public Protector's report into the controversial lease for new police headquarters in Pretoria. Full report in The Mercury (subscription needed)

Police spokesman McIntosh Polela described the incursion as 'an operation that was not sanctioned by the police', notes a report in The Times . The Public Protector's spokesperson, Kgalalelo Masibi, said two plainclothes police officers, a man and a woman, arrived at the Public Protector's office unannounced soon after noon on Wednesday. They identified themselves and said they were from the police's counter-intelligence unit and had been sent to search the offices by their commanding officer, whom, the report says Masibi would not name. But Masibi conceded that the two said they wanted to ascertain whether documents published in the Sunday Times formed part of Madonsela's report. 'After consulting internally, the Public Protector decided to give the officers a list of the documents used in the investigation, but not the actual documents,' Masibi said. Madonsela is said to be concerned about the incursion and will take up the matter with Cele. Full report in The Times See also a Beeld report

The Hawks believe that the unauthorised raid was an attempt to get hold of documents Cele was refused access to during the Protector's investigation, Hawks spokesperson Macintosh Polela is quoted as saying in a report on the IoL site. 'We need to emphasise that we are concerned that it is going to be seen as an intimidation of the office of the Public Protector and we need to put it on record that we respect and support the office of the Public Protector.' Polela said the raid would be investigated. 'We condemn the raid and we didn't sanction it and we are launching an investigation to deal with the people that are responsible.' Full report on the IoL site

Cele's spokesperson Major General Nonkululeko Mbatha agreed with Polela in a joint statement, signed by her and Polela, condemning the incident, says a report on the News24 site. 'The SAPS management strongly condemns an act of alleged invasion of the office of the Public Protector by members from counter intelligence. The members acted outside their mandate, hence appropriate action is being instituted accordingly,' they said in the joint statement. Full report on the News24 site

The SA Police Service was being abused for political revenge, opposition parties said, according to a report on the News24 site. 'Commissioner Cele has denied any knowledge of this raid. However, we have seen the SAPS retaliate against its perceived enemies before,' DA spokesperson Lindiwe Mazibuko said. 'Last year, Commissioner Cele denounced Mzilikazi wa Afrika after that reporter implicated the Commissioner in an irregular property deal that eventually led to his censure from the Public Protector. Within a matter of days, Mr Wa Afrika was arrested by the SAPS on flimsy charges that were later dropped. This raised many questions, she said. 'Who authorised the raid? Were those involved in any way linked to the Commissioner? How can raids of this significance be conducted without the Commissioner's knowledge? Does the Commissioner have control of the SAPS?' Cosatu said it was 'outraged' at the incident. 'While we welcome the statements by the spokespersons of both the SAPS and Bheki Cele, condemning the raid and denying that they sanctioned it, this begs the question of who then did sanction and authorise the raid,' said Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven. Freedom Front Plus spokesperson Pieter Groenewald described the raid as an attack on democracy. 'It is difficult to believe that the raid took place without the knowledge of Cele. This action shows that Cele should be suspended immediately,' said Groenewald. Full report on the News24 site

Constitutional law expert Pierre de Vos called on Zuma to appoint an independent commission to investigate the incident. 'Political intervention is necessary. The guilty parties must be sacked and if that does not happen...God help us,' he is quoted as saying in a Beeld report. The report says presidential spokesperson Zizi Kodwa did not respond to queries and Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa's office downplayed the incident. Spokesperson Zweli Mnisi compared the incident to a 'road block', saying there was no reason for the Minister to intervene. 'Whether it was legal or illegal, the police are handling it. It is an operational issue and we will not comment.' Full Beeld report