Nkabinde's background, qualifications earned him chief of staff, post, says Mchunu

SUSPENDED Police Minister Senzo Mchunu appointed Cedrick Nkabinde as his chief of staff because he was qualified for the job and had a background in policing.

- MAYIBONGWE MAGHINA

He disclosed this when responding to Ad Hoc committee chief evidence leader Advocate Norman Arendse’s questions, saying his relationship with Nkabinde developed when he still worked at Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) and this was one of the reasons he appointed him.

“I would have benefitted from somebody who has a background of how police work and he met those criteria. You appoint somebody you can trust,” he said.

The parliamentary inquiry is probing allegations of corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system, sparked by a press briefing held by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi on July 6.

In his address, Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of political interference and disbanding the Political Killings Task Team to protect criminal syndicates.