R45 million 'grabber' machine purchase linked to ANC funding scandal
Former finance and administration head of Crime Intelligence’s Secret Services Account, Tiyani Lincoln Hlungwani, giving evidence before the Ad Hoc Committee tasked with investigating allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Image: Zwelethemba Kostile / ParliamentofRSA
The Ad Hoc Committee revealed on Thursday that part of the R45 million earmarked for a grabber machine for Crime Intelligence was allegedly diverted to fund a faction of the ANC during the party's 2017 elective national conference.
Tiyani Lincoln Hlungwani, the former head of the Secret Services Account, claimed he refused to authorise the transaction, asserting it was intended to finance the ANC conference.
“Intelligence operatives even have a document which points to this matter. It was going to be used to fund this conference,” he said, adding that a portion of the amount was to buy the grabber and the remainder was to be taken for the conference.
Responding to questions during his testimony, Hlungwani told the committee that he was removed from his position while he was busy reviewing monies in the “Slush Fund”.
Hlungwani said the information about money stolen from the Secret Services Account was within the Crime Intelligence Services.
“I could not have the time to have the proof. When I was busy conducting a review of those monies, I was removed,” he said.
Hlungwani said he had been working fine at the Crime Intelligence Services before the ANC 2017 national elective conference, but he became a target when he refused to authorise the transaction for a grabber machine.
“There were no issues. I was working fine. The attacks started immediately after there, attack after attack.”
However, Hlungwani confirmed that he had been arrested on a frivolous criminal complaint by the then CFO of the Secret Services Account.
“This preceded the events of the Nasrec conference,” he said.
Hlungwani said one of the police generals had testified in a disciplinary matter that former police commissioner Khehla Sitole had asked why the finance person was not dealt with, despite Counter-Intelligence ruling him out on the matter.
Another senior officer had informed him that they had investigated and found nothing against him.
“It was only after the Nasrec conference that I was considered a suspect.”
In his earlier testimony on Wednesday, Hlungwani said he had been removed from his position and spent six years on suspension.
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