Former Crime Intelligence secret fund head is facing corruption probe; he is also the new acting divisional commissioner

The acting appointment of Major-General Obed Nemutanzhela — from 31 May to 21 June — was confirmed by national SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Vish Naidoo.

Nemutanzhela, who controlled the Crime Intelligence slush fund, was thrice charged departmentally by suspended, and then unsuspended, former Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant-General Peter Jacobs.

Nemuntanzhela has been appointed to act in the absence of the present acting divisional commissioner of Crime Intelligence, Major-General Yolisa Mokgabudi. 

The letter confirming the acting appointment was signed by Lieutenant-General Sindile Mfazi, deputy national commissioner of Crime Detection.

In 2017, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) requested that Nemutanzhela be suspended as he was hampering investigations by Ipid into the alleged procurement of surveillance equipment to counter the directorate’s investigations into Phahlane and North West deputy commissioner Jan Mabula.

Mabula, after evading justice for 14 years, now faces charges of extortion, kidnapping and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm relating to a matter dating back to a R14-million robbery in 2006 at a SAPS store in Benoni.

Phahlane, with about 20 other senior SAPS members, also faces charges of fraud and corruption.

Nemutanzhela’s controversial appointment comes while former Crime Intelligence head, Jacobs, continues to challenge his demotion from the position by national commissioner Khehla Sitole. Jacobs did so successfully in the labour court.



Sitole reinstated Jacobs to his job in Crime Intelligence, but subsequently relegated him to the outer tundra of the inspectorate division. 

Nemutanzhela was thrice charged departmentally by Jacobs for serious misconduct, but the investigations appear to have been “parked”. 

Major-General Jeremy Vearey, who has been dismissed by Sitole for his Facebook posts on SAPS, was investigating Nemutanzhela.

In 2017, Ipid wrote to then acting commissioner Lesetja Mothiba, requesting Nemutanzhela be suspended. The letter set out how, in 2013, two requests for the procurement of blinds were submitted and approved by Crime Intelligence.

The first was for R478,900 for a house in Waterkloof Heights and a second for R84,105 for a house in Brooklyn.

An Ipid investigation turned up that the two companies from whom the blinds were procured at taxpayers’ expense did not install “blinds and curtains as per their approved quotations” and in fact did not exist.

“The total amount claimed from the secret service account funds was R563,005, when the actual cost for the service rendered was R78,763,” said Ipid.

Ipid found prima facie evidence of corruption and a contravention of the Public Finance Management Act. DM