COSATU welcome Mdluli's re-suspension

The Congress of South African Trade Unions welcomes the decision of the Labour Court to reinstate the suspension of SAPS Lieutenant-General Richard Mdluli from his position as head of the crime intelligence unit.

The federation urges the SAPS, Hawks and Public Protector to urgently investigate all the extremely serious allegations made against him, including fraud, misusing slush funds, and illegally hiring relatives.

As the body charged with enforcing the law, the SAPS has to be scrupulous in investigating, and where there is evidence, charging and bringing to justice, any of its members found to be involved in crime, especially when the allegations are so serious and directed at someone so senior in the SAPS hierarchy.

COSATU has written to the Public Protector requesting her top investigate all the allegations made in the City Press on 15 April against both Mdluli and Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa.

It is worth repeating what COSATU said on 16 April when the story broke: "Everyone is innocent until proved guilty, but these charges are so serious that they cannot be swept under the carpet.... Corruption and theft of public funds is a malignant cancer rotting away our social and political cohesion.

"The vast majority of South Africans, in both the public and private sectors, are honest and conscientious. That makes it even more crucial to weed out the corrupt, rotten minority who have such a deadly effect on our society, bring them before the courts and put them behind bars."

Statement issued by Patrick Craven, COSATU national spokesperson, June 4 2012

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