Disciplining Hawks boss cost police R1,7m

This emerged on Wednesday from a written reply to a parliamentary question submitted by the Democratic Alliance (DA) to the country’s police minister Nkosinathi Nhleko on November 30.

The DA’s shadow police minister Zakhele Mbhele had asked Nhleko what the total cost was of litigation in all legal actions involving Major-General Booysen.

In his written reply Nhleko said the police had spent R1,088,193 million on “Disciplinary Hearing”, another R226,062 on “Review of Disciplinary Hearing (SAPS)” and R403,095.98 on “Review of the Arbitration (Maj-Gen Booysen)”.

Mbhele said that the figure was likely to rise, especially in light of the decision by the Hawks national boss Major-General Berning Ntlemeza to appeal a recent Durban High Court decision overturning Bppysen’s suspension. Ntlemeza accuses Booysen of fraudulently attempting to obtain a financial award from the police by altering case docket numbers.

The written reply made no mention of court costs incurred by the police after Booysen turned to the courts three times in as many years to oppose his suspension.

Ntlemeza recently suspended Booysen after accusing him of fraud amounting to R15,000, but this was set aside by Judge Anton van Zyl last month.

Booysen, who previously headed up the Durban Organised Crime unit, was previously suspended by former Hawks boss Anwa Dramat in March 2012. Within days of that suspension Booysen obtained a court order setting it aside.

Later in the same year Booysen was arrested, and was once again suspended following allegations of racketeering.

In September 2014 Booysen returned to work after Durban High Court Judge Trevor Gorven dismissed the charges against him.

Gorven found that then acting National Director of Public Prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba had no reasons for prosecuting Booysen.

Following the Gorven judgment, a police internal disciplinary inquiry headed by advocate Nazeer Cassim SC also cleared Booysen of any wrongdoing – it is this hearing that is referred to in Nhleko’s written reply.

Mbhele said on Wednesday that Ntlemeza should work to improve the conviction rate, which had fallen by 83 percent since the disbandment of the Scorpions.

The DA’s shadow police minister described the prosecution and disciplinary attempts against Booysen as a “witch hunt” that incurred fruitless expenditure.

“Ironically, it was precisely the act of carrying out his duties by bringing charges against Thoshan Panday, the business partner of President (Jacob) Zuma’s son, which made Booysen a target,” claimed Mbhele.