The ANC split that poisoned the South African police

A ‘comrade’ culture engulfed the top structures of the South African Police Service (SAPS) following a split in the leadership of the African National Congress (ANC), which was exacerbated by the party’s 2007 electoral conference in Polokwane.

This is according to a testimony by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi at the Ad Hoc Committee hearings in Parliament probing allegations of a capture of the criminal justice system.

In response to questions from EFF leader Julius Malema, Mkhwanazi said that “the first thing that created a problem was to undermine the discipline culture of the police” and focus on political loyalty.

Mkhwanazi told the committee that discipline within SAPS began to deteriorate when individuals “who didn’t grow up in the police” entered the organisation, undermining the chain of command.

He said that leadership that arrived at Crime Intelligence “were comrades.”

“A constable started calling his captain ‘Comrade’, which is foreign to the police. So the moment they started addressing each other like that, it just made the situation worse.”

He said that while divisions within the police began coming to light when former-President Thabo Mbeki removed Jacob Zuma from the Deputy President position.

This was due to Zuma’s links with Schabir Shaik in 2005, who had been convicted of two corruption charges.

This led to a split in the ANC itself, as Zuma maintained his position as Deputy President of the ANC, marking a split in the SAPS as well.

Mkhwanazi said that officers assigned to protect him faced poor conditions after their commander’s requests for better resources were denied.

This, he said, marked the start of police members becoming politicised and taking sides in internal party conflicts.

“Fast forward, we then have a conference in Polokwane. The police management goes there, but they don’t go there to police the African National Congress conference.”

“They are going there to erect their own marquee tent on the side with alcohol and everything else to celebrate a victory that was coming.”

“The unfortunate part that happened is that the Deputy President that was fired, won that election in Polokwane,” said the General.

Zuma beat Mbeki for the position of President of the ANC. It signaled the fall from grace for Mbeki, who was soon recalled as the state President by his party.

Comrade culture and alleged political recruitment in SAPS offices

“The return of their leadership back to Pretoria changed everything in the place, because we started getting recruitment to join political parties within the police premises in Pretoria.”

Mkhwanazi said the Protection Security Services (PSS), responsible for VIP protection, was the most affected division.

Here police generals allegedly recruited members to join Congress of the People (COPE), a breakaway party from the ANC unhappy with Zuma, within police premises.

“That was just the beginning of the downfall of what followed thereafter. You then start hearing senior officers and the police started calling comrades, comrade, comrade — it became a terminology used throughout,” said Mkhwanazi.

“I think that amalgamation and presence of people who regarded themselves as politicians was the downfall of discipline in the organisation.”

COPE issued a statement supporting Mkhwanazi’s revelations about the political abuse of SAPS Crime Intelligence, saying they confirm long-standing concerns over the ANC’s misuse of state resources to target opponents.

However, the party denied ever recruiting police officers into its ranks or attempting to politicise SAPS, saying that any such incidents “were unauthorised.”

COPE alleged it had itself been a victim of infiltration and sabotage by rogue Crime Intelligence operatives under Zuma and then-Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, who allegedly used the unit to spy on and destabilise the party.