Mthethwa denies nepotism claims
2012-04-20 18:02
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Police
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Johannesburg - The police ministry has rejected reports that crime intelligence head Richard Mdluli employed two of Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa's relatives.
"Minister Mthethwa or his spokesperson were not contacted or asked for comment on the veracity of the claims made in the article, which have now been paraded as the truth," spokesperson Zweli Mnisi said on Friday.
The Citizen reported last week that on 1 July 2010, Mdluli hired two men, LS Mthethwa as a crime intelligence agent and T Ngubane as a warrant officer.
The newspaper reported that the men were Mthethwa's sons, although Ngubane claimed to be Mthethwa's nephew.
Mnisi said the article was "untrue, subjective, and without any foundation whatsoever".
The Mail & Guardian on Wednesday approached Mthethwa because it had information indicating two other relatives of his, Charity Mthethwa and BN Mthethwa, were also employed by the police.
"Again, the minister yesterday responded... to reiterate that none of his children or relatives have been employed by SAPS; furthermore that he does not have any adopted child," Mnisi said.
Malicious attacks
"The minister has noted this ongoing campaign of peddling malicious and personal attacks aimed at discrediting him.
"However out of respect for the current investigation by the auditor general ... he will not be making any public commentary pending the finalisation [sic] of the investigation."
According to reports earlier this month, the Hawks were investigating claims that Mthethwa used nearly R200 000 from a crime intelligence fund to renovate his home in KwaZulu-Natal.
Mthethwa asked the auditor general to investigate the allegations.
There were also claims that Mthethwa was trying to quash the investigation into himself and two other high-ranking police officers accused of colluding with him.
This reportedly emerged in a "top secret" police report given to acting police chief General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi last month.
Crime intelligence boss Lieutenant General Richard Mdluli and finance head Major General Solly Lazarus were both named in the report.
Mthethwa denied all the claims.
- SAPA
