The acting head of investigations at the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has told the Madlanga commission that Ekurhuleni metro police officers followed and threatened their investigating officers.
In one instance, one of the investigators’ vehicles was shot at and her child, who was in the car at the time, sustained gunshot wounds and grave injuries.
This is according to the police watchdog’s Thuso Keefelakae, who said during the peak of their investigations into the Ekurhuleni metro police department (EMPD) in 2023 and 2024, their members received a number of threats.
At the time, he said, Ipid was investigating suspended EMPD police chief Julius Mkhwanazi and other officials who were believed to be Mkhwanazi’s team, as they refused to be vetted.
“The directorate can confirm that its investigators received threats which included physical threats and intimidation,” he testified at the commission on Wednesday.
During the time of these investigations, from time to time I would then meet the investigators to check up on them. During that time, one of the investigator’s vehicles was shot at and her child sustained very serious injuries. It affected other colleagues as well
— Thuso Keefelakae, Ipid acting head of investigations
“The investigators have been subjected to explicit and credible threats to their personal safety during the time.
“During that period the investigators were receiving messages that were threatening and relating to the cases that were being dealt with within the area of responsibility. And it’s frustrating because this then hinders their independence.
“During the time of these investigations, from time to time I would then meet the investigators to check up on them. During that time one of the investigator’s vehicles was shot at and her child sustained very serious injuries. It affected other colleagues as well.”
While presenting to the commission about their responsibilities and number of cases they deal with as well as challenges they face, Keefelakae told the commission that there is organised crime within the EMPD and SAPS.
He said intelligence is telling them that the EMPD and SAPS operate in silos and everyone has their own territory.
There are those dealing with drugs, those who deal with consignment of goods ... each have their terrain. Others are dealing with taxi-related matters
— Keefelakae
“There are those dealing with drugs, those who deal with consignment of goods ... each have their terrain. Others are dealing with taxi-related matters,” he said, adding that the problem does not end in Ekurhuleni.
He also conceded they do not have a proactive mechanism to deal with organised crime.
Last month head of crime intelligence Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo told the committee that an assessment done in 2024 found that most of Gauteng’s police officials work for criminal cartels.
Khumalo revealed this while giving reasons to the committee why the political killings task team (PKTT) carried out raids at the Joburg homes of alleged cartel members Katiso “TK” Molefe and Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala in December 2024.
The committee is investigating allegations of criminal and political infiltration by criminal cartels.
“The reason [is that] during the analysis and the threat and risk assessment, it came out that almost the whole of SAPS in Gauteng is working for the cartel. Hence we had to get the combat team from the PKTT,” he said at the time.
“Even the special task force that we used for that operation was not from Gauteng but was from outside the province.”
Sowetan
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