Publication: Cape Times Issued: Date: 2009-05-14 Reporter: Karyn Maughan

I opposed Selebi's arrest to avoid shoot-out - Mbeki

 

Publication 

Cape Times
Date

2009-05-14
Reporter Karyn Maughan
Web Link www.capetimes.co.za



Ex-President Thabo Mbeki has admitted he tried to delay the arrest of police chief Jackie Selebi - but says he did so out of fear *1 that it would end in a "shoot-out" between the police and the Scorpions.

The former president has further claimed that he had "grave concerns" that then prosecuting boss Vusi Pikoli's refusal to allow him two weeks to prepare the country for Selebi's arrest would have compromised national security, "plunging the country into turmoil".

Going under oath for the first time on his controversial decision to suspend Pikoli, Mbeki has vehemently denied any suggestion that the government's so-called "two weeks" complaint against Pikoli - which then President Kgalema Motlanthe used as a basis to fire him - was a "contrived afterthought".

Recalling the night Pikoli informed him that the Scorpions planned to arrest Selebi, in an affidavit before the Pretoria High Court, Mbeki has admitted he was surprised, and revealed that he had "asked him why, if he wanted to arrest the commissioner and to search his home and offices, he did not approach me for assistance.

"I told him that I would deliver the commissioner to him if he so required, to avoid a potential shoot-out between members of (the Scorpions and police). I needed to ensure that the police leadership was prepared to deal with the arrest of the commissioner.

"I raised the prevailing anger *2 of the members of the South African Police Service and their preparedness to go to jail should it come to that, and expressed my concerns at the prospects of a stand-off."

Mbeki further attacked Pikoli as having little to no understanding of national security issues and argued that, had the ex-NPA head had any appreciation for the national interest, "he would not have had this burning desire *3 to execute the warrants (against Selebi) in the manner he contemplated".

Responding to Pikoli's legal challenge to his axing, Mbeki repeatedly denied he or his office were informed that the Scorpions planned to seek arrest and search warrants for Selebi prior to the unit's officials obtaining the warrants. "Had (Pikoli) so informed me, I would not have been reduced to bargaining with (Pikoli) to afford me more time, in the interests of the country," he said.

Mbeki's claims stand in contrast with his original reasons *4 for suspending Pikoli in 2007. At that time, he claimed he had suspended the National Director of Public Prosecutions because his relationship with then-justice minister Brigitte Mabandla had irretrievably broken down.

In an affidavit yesterday, Mabandla said while there was no personal animosity between herself and Pikoli, the same could not be said of their professional relationship. Pikoli has maintained that his suspension related to the decision to arrest Selebi, and has argued that his axing may have been motivated by his position that ANC president Jacob Zuma had a case to answer *5.

For the first time *6, Mbeki has claimed, in his affidavit yesterday, he suspended the prosecuting head on the advice of the National Security Council. He, however, maintains that he cannot disclose the nature of his discussions with the council, as they were "a confidential matter of national security".

With acknowledgements to Karyn Maughan  and Cape Times.

*1       Nonsense, because such a fear is unreasonable and irrational.

There were no credible threats of violent confrontation between the DSO and SAPS.

Indeed, it is an entirely reasonable statement to make that senior SAPS officers would have relished seeing their chief baboon arrested, albeit for having too much chacma DNA coursing through his genetic geniality.

But far more likely would be an anticipation of a less mine-full route to higher position.


*2      That's the nature of the chacma, the rest of the troop gets testy when the alpha male is threatened.

But how many chacma's are there in the SAPS troop?


*3      NDPP Pikoli's only burning desire was to do his job properly.

Unlike NDPP Ngcuka and DNDPP McCarthy (from the Order Jackassia), NDPP Pikoli was a rather quiet bureaucratic kind of guy.

His arrest plan was a very subdued one, indeed I don't think there was a plan for an actual arrest, unless this proved absolutely necessary if the natural tendency of the alpha chacma was either to stand in defiance behind his chacma troop, or bolt into them thar hillocks and throw stones at the peace officers.

There would just have been a polite phonecall to say :
"Please Great Chacma, can one of my peaceful lady officers in an unmarked sedan motor vehicle drop off an envelope for you with your secretary sometime after brunch and before afternoon tea later this week, sign for it and then phone my secretary to make an appointment at the mutual conveniences of your Great Chacma and my Great Gerrie Nel to meet at 10:00 CAT a high court of mutual convenience in front of a friendly judge."
 

*4*6    When it comes to standing in contrasts, almost everything this one among us says is lies, whether under oath or not.

He lied about the Spanish corvette deal, he lied about the Arms Deal, he lied about the Arms Deal cover-up and he lied about meeting the French Pimpers.

Put him under cross-examination and roast him (figuratively of course).


*5      Now this is the understatement of the year and unfortunately is why Pikoli's credibility is somewhat wanting in the overall scheme of things.

Mistakenly Pikoli wanted to protect Mbeki and went softly on him, even declining to investigate him properly regarding the Arms Deal, but the latter turned around and bit him and in the process Pikoli was mortally wounded leaving another serpent to arise who then bit, bit, bit himself leaving Mbeki permanently wounded, maybe paralysed.

So go things in the land of the baboons and the serpents.