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There is little doubt that the additional charges strike at the heart of the ethical duties required of a police officer, particularly at your level, and calls into question your fitness to hold office. – General Fannie Masemola, national police commissioner.

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 Sizwe sama Yende

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National police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, has suspended Mpumalanga commissioner, Lt General Daphney Manamela, after adding seven additional charges on her charge sheet.

Masemola served Manamela her suspension on Friday afternoon.

They have been at loggerheads since late 2022 when former Mpumalanga commissioner, Lt General Thulani Ntobela, produced an unsolicited investigation report accusing Manamela of unduly receiving gifts worth thousands of rand—including a TV stand, couches and household appliances—as welcoming presents from police stations when she assumed office in 2021.

Ntobela’s company, The iFirm, also found that Manamela had engaged in nepotism, abuse of power and maladministration in that undeserving police officers were promoted.

Masemola suspended Manamela on February 24 2023, but she fought for her reinstatement in court and won.

Masemola said in his letter to Manamela that he was suspending her because of the seriousness of the additional charges against her.

“As is apparent from the additional charges, you stand accused of a litany of extremely serious allegations of misconduct ranging from unauthorised installation of a closed circuit CCTV surveillance system at you provincial office,” reads the suspension letter.

It further says that the additional charges against Manamela were:

·      Abuse of position as provincial commissioner in a number of respects such as, for example, through the regular and unauthorised use of state escort vehicles;

·      Engaging in deliberate humiliating and belittling conduct in respect of your subordinates and colleagues and colleagues; and

·      Using obscene, profane and threatening language towards your colleagues and stakeholders.

“There is little doubt that the additional charges strike at the heart of the ethical duties required of a police officer, particularly at your level, and calls into question your fitness to hold office,” Masemola said.

The national commissioner added that Manamela had failed on many occasions to give reasons she should not be placed on suspension in light of the additional charges pending a Board of Inquiry conclusion.

Masemola established a Board of Inquiry to investigate Manamela’s fitness to hold office on March 13 last year.

The inquiry was set to start on October 11 2023 but did not and was postponed sine die. Manamela was served with the additional charges on May 16 this year, but according to Masemola, failed to give reason not to be suspended.

It may seem that Masemola is now confident that the additional charges against Manamela will stick after an internal investigation into the iFirm’s report had cleared her.

After receving  Ntobela’s report, Masemola appointed Lieutenant General Sello Kwena to conduct an analysis of The iFirm Trading and Projects report to prove its veracity.

Kwena’s report indicates that Ntobela had investigated irregular promotions, maladministration and allegations of abuse of power and found that Manamela had irregularly promoted four police officers even though they did not have requisite qualifications, and one of them had a criminal record.

Ntobela’s report also found that Manamela instructed district offices to host welcoming parties for her and to use money or donations requested from the stations’ semi-official institution, and attempted to demote Major General Thulani Phahla and to transfer Major General Dora Xaba and Brigadier Lindani Ndlovu.

The Kwena report did not make any finding against Manamela on the promotions or against any other issue raised in The iFirm’s report. The report is silent on the welcoming parties and the demotion and transfer of police officers.

Kwena said he interviewed witnesses and analysed documents before compiling his report. He wrote: “Each allegation highlighted in The iFirm’s report was individually investigated.”