Johannesburg – Former police minister Nkosinathi Nhleko was on Tuesday grilled about his 2014 controversial removal of former Hawks head General Anwa Dramat and other suspension of top cops in relation to the Zimbabwean renditions saga.
Nhleko took the stand before the Zondo Commission into state capture yesterday where nhe was responding to various allegations made against him by former Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) head Robert McBride and other officials of the directorate.
These included the improper firing of top cops with the Hawks in relation to the renditions of Zimbabwean citizens, including Dramat, and the suspension of McBride.
Last year, Ipid investigator Innocent Kuba told the commission that he had been approached by General Berning Nhlemeza on December 9 who informed him to watch the news as there would be a “hit” on Dramat. This took place just a few days before Dramat was sent a notice of intention to suspend by Nhleko on December 9 and his eventual suspension and replacement by Ntlemeza as head of the Hawks.
Nhleko disputed that he had told Ntlemeza about his intention to have Dramat removedand make him the replacement when questioned by evidence leader advocate Garth Hulley.
“I just wonder why I would do that. I supervised General Dramat directly and that is precisely it. As to what this thing comes from about a general Ntlemeza who then engages with Kuba and they talk about whatever they talk about, which is I don’t know…I won’t come into that really,” he said.
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