Cape Town – The South African Police Crime Intelligence unit reportedly spent a significant amount, approximately R100 million, on vehicles, including luxury sedans like Audi A3s and A4s, Golf GTIs, and Ford Everests, but these vehicles have remained unused and parked at the police intelligence headquarters in Pretoria.
According to City Press, most of the cars, around 80 unmarked vehicles, are unregistered and have lost their factory warranties due to sitting idle for over a year.
“Those vehicles were never allocated to anyone and remain idle at the head office. Another purchase was R70 million for Volkswagen Amarok bakkies, Audi A3s and A4s and Golf 8 GTIs.
“Just like the Everests – which had their warranties forfeited because they had not been serviced, as prescribed during the purchase – these ones will have a similar fate,” the newspaper quoted a source in the unit as saying, according to The Citizen.
Intelligence officers had requested these vehicles for undercover operations, but they were never allocated, the report said.
This has raised concerns within the crime intelligence community, with some accusing the unit’s leadership of neglecting their responsibilities and undermining the unit’s work while claiming to cut costs.
The financial management of the crime intelligence unit has become a focal point of attention, with suspicions that its funds were being reserved for political campaigning in the upcoming general election, The Citizen reported.
A suspended chief financial officer, Tiyani Hlungwani, submitted an affidavit to Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, revealing questionable activities within the unit.
Hlungwani disclosed a plan to spend an inflated R45 million on a communication surveillance device known as a “grabber” during the ANC’s elective conference in December 2017, the report said.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
