2 days ago
92
A televised interview where Mpumalanga police spokesperson defended his suspended boss has cost him his job.
Brigadier Selvy Mohlala has been fired for defending the suspended Mpumalanga police commissioner Lt-Gen Semakaleng Daphney Manamela in an interview with Newszroom Afrika.
His sacking was finalised on June 19, six months after his suspension on January 8 for the December 28 2023 interview where he defended Manamela.
At the time, Manamela was facing a police probe over a string of charges relating to misconduct.
Mohlala landed himself in hot water by agreeing to do the interview despite the national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola having directed on October 14 2022 that only spokespersons within his office in Pretoria were authorised to talk about the matter.
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 following her July 21 2021 appointment.
During the interview, Mohlala told the channel that Manamela did nothing unlawful as this was also done by a previous commissioner upon assuming office.
He also supplied the journalist with cellphone footage proving his allegation.
In the June 19 2024 termination letter, seen by Sowetan, deputy commissioner Lt-Gen Lineo Ntshia says: “The expeditious process against Brigadier Mohlala has been concluded. Brigadier Mohlala was found guilty on all charges and the functionary subsequently imposed as sanction of dismissal.”
In the letter, Ntshia instructs acting police commissioner Maj-Gen Zephania Mkhwanazi to initiate the service termination process against Mohlala.
“The sanction of dismissal has been confirmed and the employee must immediately be informed of the decision and all SAPS equipment and state resources must be handed in by the member,” Ntshia instructs in the letter.
While Mohlala could not be reached for comment, his union the Police Prisons and Civil Rights Union (Popcru) said it will challenge the “unfair” dismissal.
“We are aware of the termination of Brigadier Mohlala’s contract, however, as the union will will be taking this up with the bargaining council to challenge the unfairness of the dismissal,” said Popcru Mpumalanga secretary Sipho Nkambule .
Asked why the union feels the termination was unfair, Nkambule declined to comment, saying he is unable to delve into the merits of their argument.
Meanwhile, national police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe confirmed Manamela’s suspension and revealed that Mkhawanazi has been appointed to act in Manamela’s place.
A fresh charge sheet, seen by Sowetan has emerged in which a string of charges have been added against Manamela.
She now stands accused of threatening police unions telling them the day she goes down as commissioner, there will be “a bloodshed”.
She is also accused of withdrawing an approved transfer request of a colleague who wished to be moved to the Gauteng office. The transfer was terminated a day after the colleague allegedly failed to buy Manamela shoes she had requested .
In the charge sheet it is alleged that Manamela, who was angered by the unavailability of the shoes, told the colleague: “I will show you”.
Manamela is also accused of unlawfully installing CCTV cameras with voice recording capabilities at the head office to the tune of R92,000 in order to spy on colleagues.
Among the litany of allegations levelled against Manamela, it is alleged she once told a supply chain management officer that she was “full of sh*t”.
Sowetan tried many times to get hold of Manamela. However, she never answered calls nor responded to messages
