IPID must investigate Hawks’ failure to probe Mahlobo’s links to rhino poacher

The DA was dismayed to learn this week that the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks) has failed to launch an investigation into the relationship between the Minister of State Security, David Mahlobo, and self-confessed criminal, Guan Jiang Guang.

We will now report this inexplicable failure to act to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) for further investigation.

Mahlobo’s association with Guang was exposed in a documentary on rhino poaching aired by the Al Jazeera news channel on 13 November 2016, as well as additional reporting by local news media.

However, Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangweni Mulaudzi was quoted on 19 January as saying that the DPCI has not even opened an investigation into the matter. Furthermore, Mulaudzi is quoted as saying that Guang is now at large and believed to have fled the country.

Remarkably, the Hawks have seemingly found the time to investigate Guang’s “massage parlour” in Mbombela, where he and Mahlobo became acquainted, at least sufficiently to have determined that it was likely used as a brothel.

It defies belief that the Hawks did not see it fit to investigate allegations of corruption at the highest level of government.

On 14 November 2016, the DA called on President Jacob Zuma to place Mahlobo on special leave pending a full and proper investigation, specifically to avoid manipulation of this crucial investigation. Our call went unheeded and it will now be up to IPID to determine why the Hawks have failed to investigate Guang’s alleged association with Mahlobo and his wife.

We can no longer allow our intelligence services to be mired in endless controversy.

Statement issued by John Steenhuisen MP, Chief Whip of the Democratic Alliance, 22 January 2017