Various parties have asked for serious steps to be taken against rogue elements within the Hawks.
Photo: Maryke Vermaak
This follows damning allegations made by former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas at the commission of inquiry into state capture on Friday.
Jonas told the commission that the Hawks attempted to sabotage the investigation into the Gupta family's attempt to bribe him.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) says the Hawks should immediately start rooting out rogue elements within its ranks.
"The evidence presented by Mcebisi Jonas, directly challenges the Hawks to investigate those within its ranks who were complicit in the networks of corporate capture of key authorities of our state,” says the SACP’s Alex Mashilo.
"We reiterate our a call for a review of police crime intelligence, the police as a whole, including the Hawks, as well as the prosecution, to establish how on earth the rot of corporate state capture took place as if these authorities were non-existent, and for a firm action to be taken.
"It is very clear that the parasitic networks of corporate state capture may probably have been erected also in police and investigative authorities such as the Hawks, leading to state capture related cases being 'killed'.”
Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police has also called for an investigation.
The committee’s chairperson Francois Beukman says it is imperative that members of the unit, especially high-ranking members, should act without fear or favour to uphold the law, and that any dereliction of that duty should be properly investigated.
"Whilst the committee acknowledges that the proceedings of the commission are still underway and that testimony will still be subjected to cross-examination and findings of the commission be made, any serious allegations against DPCI members should be urgently investigated by the relevant authorities,” says Beukman.
"The DPCI should lead in the fight against corruption and any allegations that comprise their role should be subject to independent investigation"
Beukman has called on any person or organisation who have evidence of criminal conduct by members of the Hawks to inform the authorities.
"The committee's view is that the Head of the DPCI, general Geoffrey Lebeya, should also, as a matter of priority, launch an internal inquiry into the allegations.”
Lebeya has meanwhile expressed serious concerns about the allegations.
