Suspended Mpumalanga police commissioner Lt-Gen Daphney Manamela sent shockwaves across the country after making explosive allegations against senior police leadership during a weekend media briefing in Mbombela.
Manamela alleged interference in political cases, illegal mining and kidnapping matters.
She also claimed senior officials failed to act against corruption concerns.
Manamela was first suspended on February 24 2023 after then police minister Bheki Cele preferred charges against her.
Allegations against Manamela were that she had instructed several Mpumalanga police station commanders to use state funds to buy her furniture and appliances to the tune of R2m to welcome her as the top cop after her July 21 2021 appointment.
After her suspension, she launched an urgent application for her suspension to be lifted and the minister’s decision to establish a board of inquiry reviewed and set aside.
On March 23 2023, the court ruled in her favour, granting an order to lift her suspension.
However, on September 18 2023 Cele set down a board of inquiry.
Manamela then brought an urgent application for an order interdicting Cele from establishing the board of inquiry pending the determination of the review application.
The next month an order was made, by agreement between the parties, to postpone the board of inquiry indefinitely pending the determination of the review application.
In May 2024, police minister Gen Fannie Masemola brought more charges against Manamela and gave her notice of his intention to place her on suspension.
She was suspended on June 14 2024.
After her suspension, then Mpumalanga police spokesperson Selvy Mohlala was fired after a televised interview in which he defended Manamela.
Mohlala landed himself in trouble by agreeing to do the interview despite Masemola directing that only a spokesperson within his office in Pretoria was authorised to talk about the matter.
Sowetan previously reported that during the interview, Mohlala told Newzroom Afrika Manamela did nothing unlawful, as this was also done by a previous commissioner on assuming office.
He supplied cellphone footage proving his allegations.
Nearly two years later, Manamela has made serious allegations, including claims that Masemola was protecting corrupt officers.
Manamela made the claims during a media briefing in Mbombela on Sunday.
She said she had been sidelined for acting against corruption in the police, adding her suspension came while she was taking action against officers allegedly involved in extortion and corruption.
Manamela said attempts to seek intervention from Masemola were unsuccessful.
She also alleged interference by Cele.
She said Cele had, during the ANC’s January 8 celebrations in 2024, pushed for the arrest of a former Mpumalanga MEC without evidence.
She claimed the former minister became upset when she did not comply. She further alleged Cele’s interference in the Hillary Gardee murder case.
On Monday, acting police commissioner Firoz Cachalia raised concerns about the media briefing, saying it was inconsistent with established professional protocols, including National Instruction 5 of 2017 on media communication within the SAPS.
“The minister expects all SAPS members, particularly those in senior positions, to adhere strictly to these established standards in their public communications, as non-adherence constitutes misconduct,” his spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi said.
Sowetan
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