JOHANNESBURG – Justice Minister Mamoloko Kubayi says she will not go into detail regarding the suspension of the department’s Director General (DG) Doc Mashabane.
Announcing Mashabane’s suspension during a media briefing on Tuesday, Kubayi said President Cyril Ramaphosa asked her to institute disciplinary proceedings against Mashabane; and this was communicated to him on Tuesday afternoon.
Kubayi said the suspension is related to ‘failures and lapses in the system’ and not being able to do due diligence and ensure the commission of inquiry into criminality, political interference, and corruption in the criminal justice system starts on time.
The minister’s announcement came hot on the heels of the announcement that the inquiry, chaired by retired Judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga, will not begin on September 1 as planned.
The Madlanga inquiry was established to look into the explosive allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkwanazi, regarding Political interference in policing.
“I don’t want to go into detail. I can’t in public deal with labour matters… I can’t say these are the charges that he’s going to face,” Kubayi said when pressed about the reasons for Mashabane’s suspension.
“I still have to write him a formal letter today and send it to him, which he has to respond to and we will take the process from there,” she added.
However, Kubayi clarified that Mashabane was aware that his contract – which is due to end in February next year – will not be extended or renewed. She said she informed him of the suspension last Friday, which he acknowledged.
Kubayi also said the department will take the country into confidence once it is able to so. Touching on the postponement of the Madlanga commission, the minister said the announcement happened despite her appeal for the department to make its announcement first.
Asked whether this was an indication of a potential breakdown in the relationship, Kubayi said no. “There’ll never be a breakdown of relationship. We’re holding each other accountable, quite frankly, quite open,” she said.
Kubayi said she apologised to Ramaphosa that the postponement happened under her watch and that she is disappointed that the inquiry will not begin on time. However, although the new date of commencement has not been communicated, Kubayi said the work still continues in other areas.
“(We) do have interactions by evidence leaders, as per the report I received, with witnesses. We don’t know who, we are not told. We don’t get to be told, but we just know that the work has been done.”
Kubayi also gave a breakdown of the progress made so far around the Madlanga commission: Venue: The commission will sit at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria. Security assessments have been completed and the venue has been classified as medium risk, with security personnel on standby.
Outstanding adjustments – including guard house and turnstile installations, office reconfiguration, and lift programming – are scheduled for completion this week.
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