Phiyega hits out at police minister

Suspended police chief Riah Phiyega File picture: Itumeleng English

Suspended police chief Riah Phiyega File picture: Itumeleng English

Published Dec 1, 2015

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Johannesburg - Suspended national police commissioner General Riah Phiyega has hit out at Police Minister Nathi Nhleko saying he was trying to force her to resign from her position before she can defend herself.

In a statement released early on Tuesday, Phiyega said: “I note with concern the campaign that is being waged by the newly appointed leaders at SAPS with the backing and blessing of the ministry of police.”

She added: “In this regard I will spare no effort in fighting against unlawful processes aimed at forcing me to resign from my position without the opportunity to present my side of the story.”

Phiyega, who was suspended by President Jacob Zuma in October, said there was a “clear pattern” of witch-hunting and public harassment that was “emerging following revelations of further potential probes into my conduct as national commissioner of the South African Police Service”.

Phiyega said, apart from the board of enquiry appointed by Zuma to look into her fitness to hold office, there was a possible investigation by Parliament’s portfolio committee on police into “inaccuracies” implied by acting national commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane’s of annual crime statistics.

“I find it deeply regrettable that in the haste to continue with tarnishing my name, the authority and integrity of the other bodies involved in this process has been called into question,” said Phiyega.

“Lieutenant-General Phahlane’s ill-informed and reckless utterances regrettably put into question the objectivity, capability and authenticity of the competent authorities.”

Phiyega said consistent with the demonstrated “unprofessional and discourteous manner of handling issues that involve me, as I witnessed with the Reference Group process and the subsequent release of its report, I have learnt via the media that criminal charges have been instituted against me for defeating the ends of justice with respect to the Western Cape provincial commissioner Arno Lamoer matter”.

The suspended commissioner, who has engaged the services of Magna Carta Reputation Management Consultants, said her lawyers were trying to verify the reports.

Phiyega said she was also in possession of Nhleko’s Reference Group report, “which I am studying together with my lawyers”.

However, the suspended commissioner said she remained encouraged by the process established by Zuma in the form of a board of inquiry set up to investigate “my fitness to hold office as informed by the Farlam Commission report”.

Phiyega added: “It is a process that I am preparing for and one that I hope will assist me in clearing my name and help the nation with the answers it continues to seek about the tragic events in Marikana.”

ANA

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