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Police Minister Mchunu will investigate the continued employment of Richard Mdluli's family members in SAPS.

Misuse of SAPS funds for personal travel, inflated and irregularly paid salaries, must be probed.

Accountability and transparency in SAPS Crime Intelligence are essential for its integrity. 

During a session in the National Assembly this week, I asked the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, whether he would commit to an open investigation into the continued employment of family members of former Crime Intelligence head, Richard Mdluli, in SAPS.

The Minister immediately agreed and confirmed that he would cooperate with the Portfolio Committee on Police in this regard.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes this commitment as a necessary step toward accountability and transparency in SAPS.

This matter has been highlighted in multiple reports, including a previous Auditor-General report that flagged financial irregularities and improper appointments in SAPS Crime Intelligence. Furthermore, extensive evidence was presented at the State Capture Inquiry, revealing how Mdluli misused SAPS intelligence resources, obstructed investigations, and shielded his network from accountability.

• Key concerns include:
• The use of SAPS Crime Intelligence funds to cover travel expenses for Mdluli’s relatives, including international flights.
• The Secret Service Account being used to pay inflated salaries to unqualified family members who were appointed as intelligence agents.
• Covert vehicle procurements being misused for personal benefit, rather than for intelligence operations.
• Salaries and allowances being irregularly processed, circumventing normal SAPS HR procedures.

Despite extensive evidence, SAPS management has failed to take decisive action, and some of these individuals are still employed in SAPS today.

The DA has long called for greater accountability in SAPS Crime Intelligence, an institution plagued by corruption, political interference, and mismanagement of state funds. This latest development is an opportunity to ensure that those who benefited from Mdluli’s abuse of power are removed from SAPS, and that law enforcement structures operate with integrity and professionalism.

The DA will closely monitor this investigation into the Mdluli family roots in the SAPS, to ensure that the Minister’s commitment to transparency is upheld. The DA will continue to hold SAPS leadership accountable and push for reforms that restore public confidence in law enforcement.

Issued by Ian Cameron MP - DA Spokesperson on Police