‘Cele doesn’t need new HQ’

Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa has said there is no need for the police to lease an 18-storey building to house its headquarters, despite National Commissioner General Bheki Cele having signed a needs assessment which said it was necessary. The controversial R500 million lease agreement for the building in central Pretoria has been put on ice, as has another for new police headquarters in Durban, due to probes by the Public Protector and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).

Mthethwa – answering questions in the National Assembly yesterday – also would not link last week’s resignation of the deputy national police commissioner to a probe into tender procedures in the police. The statements followed persistent speculation that Sunday Times journalist Mzilikazi wa Afrika’s arrest a month ago was linked to his exposé, days earlier, of alleged irregularities in the rental deal for the Pretoria building.

Cele’s deputy, Lieutenant- General Hamilton Hlela, and two of his subordinates resigned shortly after President Jacob Zuma proclaimed an SIU investigation into supply chain management at the SAPS and its building services division. Asked by Cope MP Leonard Ramatlakane whether procurement policies and tender requirements had been complied with relating to the 18-storey Sanlam Middestad building in Pretoria, the minister replied: “This is the responsibility of the Public Works Department. The SAPS identifies its accommodation needs by means assessment.” Pressed by Freedom Front Plus MP Pieter Groenewald about the need for a second headquarters for police, Mthethwa said: “There is no need for such an 18-storey building.”

However, Mthethwa later said the need for a bigger headquarters had been raised with MPs last year, along with the possibility of having one built. Asked for clarification, the minister’s parliamentary officer, Siyazi Tyatyam, said the Public Works Department had since been asked to look at alternatives, but that had been put on ice until the SIU investigation had been completed.

Groenewald said he was surprised the minister stated was no need for the building. “Why does public works then go and hire one based on a needs assessment of the police, when the minister says they don’t need a building that size? That is a very interesting response,” he said.

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela had indicated her preliminary report would be ready by the middle of this month, Groenewald said.

Source: IoL