Cato Manor cops, Hawks KZN head suspended

2012-09-12 10:02

Johan Booysen (Khaya Ngwenya, City Press)

Durban - The head of the Hawks police unit in KwaZulu-Natal and members of the disbanded Cato Manor organised crime unit have been suspended with immediate effect, the Mercury reported on Wednesday.

The officers, including the head of the KwaZulu-Natal Hawks Johan Booysen, face more than 100 charges, including 14 of murder, 14 of unlawful possession of ammunition, 14 of unlawful possession of firearms, and four of housebreaking.

Booysen told the Mercury that the suspensions were on full pay and were actually a blessing.

According to police regulations, police management had to institute disciplinary hearings within 60 days.

"We are looking forward to the disciplinary hearings during which the State witnesses will finally be made known and all issues will be ventilated so that the truth can be exposed.

"We will ask for an independent arbitrator and we will welcome the hearings taking place," Booysen was quoted as saying in the paper.

The 30 men were served with letters of intended suspension earlier this month. They were given until last Friday to give reasons why they should not be suspended.

They are expected to appear in court again in October.

- SAPA