A fresh bid for a “full and transparent” parliamentary inquiry into the death of former Eastern Cape top cop Sindile Mfazi has emerged, following explosive revelations about the circumstances surrounding his death and the investigations he was involved in.
The renewed calls come amid proceedings of parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
A petition, targeting one-million signatures, is calling for a parliamentary investigation into Mfazi’s death and the matters linked to it.
At the time of his death in 2021, Mfazi was serving as deputy national commissioner responsible for crime detection.
He had previously spent a decade as head of crime intelligence in the Eastern Cape.
His death was initially attributed to Covid-19 complications.
However, subsequent developments — including the exhumation of his body — pointed to possible foul play, with forensic and toxicology reports indicating he may have been poisoned.
Earlier reports reveal that elite police detectives had been assigned to investigate the circumstances of his death, while an inquest was also launched to examine inconsistencies in the initial findings and handling of evidence.
Mfazi died while investigating a number of high-profile and sensitive cases, including a R1.6bn personal protective equipment (PPE) fraud matter linked to police procurement.
Some of the dockets on his desk reportedly included the Phala Phala scandal, the R6.1bn privatisation of police forensic systems case, and the assassination of Cape Town top cop Lieutenant-Colonel Charl Kinnear.
The petition, labelled #JusticeForMfazi, is expected to close on July 8, marking five years since his death.
By Monday afternoon, it had garnered 7,801 signatures, with more than 2,000 of those coming from the Eastern Cape.
His family said they wanted parliament to place the investigation under direct oversight to ensure it was conducted without interference, obstruction or manipulation.
“No stone must be left unturned. The killers must be found. Arrests must be made.
“Parliament must demand a complete account of the crimes General Mfazi was investigating and ensure those implicated are brought before the law.
“Those who may have been involved in, been aware of, or failed to prevent threats to General Mfazi’s life — including any who may have ordered, facilitated, or covered up his murder — must face the full force of the law,” the family said.
The family said Mfazi’s three children deserved closure and justice.
The renewed push follows testimony before the ad hoc committee by former police crime intelligence analyst Pilasande Dotyeni, whose submission focused on the circumstances surrounding Mfazi’s death.
Dotyeni alleged that Mfazi had uncovered extensive corruption and was the target of professional assassins who ultimately poisoned him.
In their final conversation, a few days before his death, Mfazi confided that he had uncovered a complex web of corruption linked to emergency procurement tenders, particularly PPE contracts valued at more than R1.6bn.
According to Dotyeni, Mfazi’s investigation pointed to a co-ordinated siphoning operation involving individuals within SAPS headquarters.
He said Mfazi frequently referred to the SAPS as a “crime scene”.
He alleged that while Mfazi’s body was still at his home, senior SAPS officials from national headquarters arrived and removed files from the house — claims that have raised concerns about possible interference in the investigation.
Portfolio committee on police chair, Ian Cameron, did not respond to question at time of writing on Monday.
Parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said the office of the speaker had not received any petition or communication regarding the matter from the family.
However, he said Cameron’s committee had the power to handle such matters. — Daily Dispatch
