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S. African court rules against suspension of anti-crime unit chief

Xinhua, January 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

The North Gauteng High Court on Friday ruled that the decision to suspend Anwar Dramat, head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) is "unlawful, invalid and is set aside".

The court also ruled that the decision to appoint an acting head "is unlawful and invalid and set aside".

Police Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko suspended Dramat in December after receiving a report based on an investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) into his alleged role in the rendition of Zimbabweans to their home country.

Dramat's dismissal caused a hue and cry in the country. The opposition insists that Dramat was suspended because he was investigating or planning to investigate matters related to the Nkandla scandal.

The Nkandla scandal refers to the security upgrades at President Jacob Zuma's private home in Nkandla, KwaZulu-Natal Province. The project allegedly cost 246 million rand (about 22 million U.S. dollars) in public funds.

In its Friday ruling, the North Gauteng High Court declared that the Police Minister is not empowered to suspend the head of the DPCI, also known as The Hawks.

The court also ordered the Police Minister to pay all costs.

The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) hailed the ruling which it said supports the DA's position that the Police Minister acted outside his authority when he suspended Dramat.

"Indeed it has been the DA's contention that the Police Minister broke the law when he suspended Dramat as Hawks boss," the DA said in a statement.

In November last year one month before Dramat was suspended, the Constitutional Court ruled that the Police Minister may not suspend the Head of the Hawks without consultation with Parliament.

On Wednesday, the Presidency refuted claims that Dramat was suspended because he was investigating or planning to investigate matters related to the Nkandla issue.

The SAPS has indicated a few times that Dramat was not investigating anything related to the Nkandla issue, presidential spokesperson Mac Maharaj said. Endi