Reaping the rotten fruits of a hopelessly politicised police force

There is no doubt about the seriousness of the disputes inside the South African Police Service (SAPS).

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Although the dynamics that have led to the claims by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi are important, it is also important to remember how deep the roots of the politicisation of our police service are.

Arguably, they go back to then president Thabo Mbeki's decision to appoint Jackie Selebi as the national police commissioner. ner.

It was not just that Selebi was found to be corrupt, but that he also played what now appears to be a political role. His decisions to shut down specialised units were not rational at the time and have never been properly explained.

It is also well known that our police and security services played a factional role in the ANC. Political consultant Aubrey Matshiqi has explained how, in 2007, he met with members of the State Security Agency (SSA) and advised them to remain neutral at the ANC's national conference in Polokwane. As he records, they failed to do so.

In October that year, the Constitutional Court had to make a ruling in a case brought by then SSA head Billy Masethla, after Mbeki fired him over his apparent support for Zuma.

The consequences of that ruling are still with us today. It was the first case in which judges said someone fired from a government position must be paid until the end of their term.