Three IDAC investigators suspended as South Africa widens anti-corruption shake-up
PRETORIA — South Africa’s Investigating Directorate Against Corruption has suspended three senior investigators as Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi pushes a...
PRETORIA — South Africa’s Investigating Directorate Against Corruption has suspended three senior investigators as Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi pushes ahead with a broad reset of the troubled unit. The move lands as the directorate faces mounting scrutiny over leaks, alleged misconduct and questions about how it handled sensitive cases.
Kubayi confirmed the suspensions at a media briefing on Thursday, saying the point was to steady IDAC while steps are taken to fill a leadership vacuum. The three officials are Dylan Perumal, Suneel Bellochun and Brian Padayachee. Short and sharp. The suspensions are pending disciplinary proceedings.
Allegations across sensitive files
Each investigator is tied to a separate allegation. Bellochun was accused of extorting a Pakistani businessman in the Eastern Cape. Padayachee was accused of leaking an active criminal docket to senior Crime Intelligence officer Major-General Feroz Khan. Perumal faces allegations of falsifying witness statements.
The suspensions add to the pressure already hanging over IDAC, where internal checks are now being tightened. Kubayi and National Prosecuting Authority head Andy Mothibi also announced a reset programme aimed at the failures and challenges inside the directorate.
Reset reaches staff, cases and leadership
The overhaul is wider than the three suspensions. Kubayi has ordered lifestyle audits for all 146 staff members, with the assessment expected to be completed by August 14. Human resources has also been told to compare job profiles with the qualifications and experience of current employees.
The clean-up will reach cases on the court roll too, with authorities reviewing whether charges have been correctly framed. A full case audit and a financial management review are also part of the six-month reset.
Search for a temporary head
The directorate’s leadership remains unsettled after former IDAC head Andrea Johnson resigned last week amid intense scrutiny. Kubayi said her department is looking outside IDAC for a temporary replacement and wants vetting done before any appointment is made.
She said she is uneasy about choosing one of Johnson’s deputies to take over and signalled that an outside candidate from within the NPA is being considered under the rules. The appointment is being handled with caution. “I have requested vetting,” Kubayi said. “We just want to make sure that vetting is being done just to make sure that everything is not going to come back.”
