Dear reader,
Suspended police ministerSenzo Mchunu has fired off a legal letter to the policeinvestigating allegations of fraud, corruption and defeating the ends of justice, accusing them of intimidation.
Mchunu’s missive came a day after police, seeking to execute a search-and-seizure warrant for his electronic devices, were turned away by their colleagues guarding the minster’s residence on Thursday — the same day police carried out a similar raid on deputy national commissioner Lt-GenShadrack Sibiya at his home.
The letter — penned by Mchunu’s lawyer, Sandile July of Werkmans Attorneys — was addressed to national commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola and included a demand for a copy of the warrant by 10am on Friday. The contents of the letter are in the Sunday Times today.
The crisis engulfing the department of social development has taken a dark turn, withone of minister Sisisi Tolashe’s aides apparently threatening suspended communications chief Lumka Oliphantin a rambling call that she could “get hurt” if she fails to toe the line. In the four-minute phone call early on Saturday, Tolashe’s parliamentary liaison officer, Luvuyo Shasha – who slurs his words and is often incoherent — tells Oliphant to stop her “tantrum” behaviour.
The Sunday Times has listened to a recording of the call, in which Shasha says that if Oliphant does not heed him, she could get hurt. He tells Oliphant not to sell the department out and says “Tolashe is very strong”. When Oliphant asks what he means by this, Shasha tells her that she is going to get “burnt by fire” and her “tantrums” are going to get her into trouble.
Elsewhere,a luxury vehicle purchased for Limpopo speaker Makoma Makhurupetje five months ago at a cost of about R3mremains parked in the basement of the provincial legislature, covered in dust. This week, when the Sunday Times enquired about the vehicle, the legislature threatened the publication for being in possession of a photograph of the car, saying this violated national security laws.
Makhurupetje came under fire in May when it emerged that two luxury cars — a Mercedes-Benz GLE 450d and a BMW X5 — had been purchased for her office at a total cost of R6m.
The vehicles were allegedly earmarked for her and her deputy speaker, respectively. The current recommended retail price for an entry-level Mercedes-Benz GLE 450d is R2.4m, while an X5 sells for R1.7m.
In Business, a global security report has noteda 42% rise in physical threats against top company executives, forcing many organisations to spend more on extra security for their C-suites. The World Security Report — compiled by Allied Universal, the world’s biggest security company — surveyed 2,352 chief security officers (CSOs) from 31 countries and representing companies with a combined revenue of more than $25-trillion (R436-trillion).
It contains inputs from 200 global institutional investors who manage more than $1-trillion in assets. “The threat of violence to senior company executives has increased, according to 42% of CSOs,” the report says. “Concerns are growing that societies are becoming more violent, and this is spilling over to affect the people and assets of businesses.”There’s this and more in your favourite Sunday read.
Happy reading.
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