Mkhwanazi ‘interference’ case mirrors Booysen’s – expert
A crime and policing expert has described allegations of interference against KZN's police chief as hard to believe, comparing what is unfolding to the withdrawn case against former KZN Hawks head Johan Booysen.
Booysen and 26 members of the disbanded Cato Manor Serious and Violent Crimes Unit were accused of racketeering and murder.
The charges were eventually dropped in 2019.
Throughout the seven-year battle, Booysen maintained that the charges were trumped up because of who they were investigating.
This week, police watchdog IPID confirmed it was investigating claims that KZN commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi interfered with the arrest of a senior correctional services official two years ago.
The general has denied the allegation, calling it a smear campaign.
READ: Mkhwanazi given deadline to address 'power abuse' claims
Independent crime and policing consultant Johan Burger says if IPID finds a credible case against him, it could mean the end of his career, which would be a pity for KZN.
"On the other hand, IPID could clear him, which I tend to believe that just looks to me like another Johan Booysen case where you have a general fighting against corruption, fighting against criminality in that province. He's been very vocal and forceful in doing so.
“Of course, that would irritate the criminals and corrupt officials within the police and outside of the police and I tend to rather believe that this is a concerted effort to find a way of removing this general."
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