Amar Maharaj's testimony to the Moerane commission about the IPID KwaZulu-Natal laced with inaccuracies

The Independent Police Investigating Directorate (IPID) has noted the numerous allegations made by its employee, Mr Amar Maharaj, before the Moerane Commission of Inquiry. The allegations are laced with inaccuracies.

  1. Mr Maharaj presents himself as the Head of Ethics in the IPID. There is no such position in the IPID. He is the Deputy Director: Ethics Management.
  2. Mr Maharaj is not an investigator. He could not have investigated the “hundreds of cases” reported to him “within three weeks”.
  3. The Executive Director (ED), Mr Robert McBride, appointed the National Head of Investigations, Mr Matthews Sesoko, to represent the IPID at the Moerane Commission. Mr Maharaj was informed of this fact but responded that, he was “not going to ask for the ED's permission.”
  4. The IPID acknowledges that some of the allegations regarding premature closure of cases were made by Maharaj and others. It must be stated that these are alleged to have occurred during the period when Mr McBride and IPID management were on suspension. The allegations are that these practices occurred during the tenure of the former Acting Executive Director, Mr Israel Kgamanyane, for whom the former Minister of Police approved a bonus for meeting targets.
  5. Mr McBride appointed a team in November 2016 to investigate the allegations brought to his attention by Maharaj. When Maharaj  was approached by the team for a statement in November 2016 he flatly refused to provide it. He was so concerned about justice for the victims that he only submitted his statement at the end of May 2017, after he had gone to the Public Protector to report “non-action” by Mr McBride. It is important to note that none of the allegations reported by Maharaj have anything to do with Glebelands or political killings in KwaZulu-Natal.
  6. It seems Maharaj wants to create the impression that he is harassed and victimised by IPID management, without providing any substantiation.
  7. During his testimony, Maharaj railed against the entire IPID management, the Portfolio Committee on Police, the Auditor-General South Africa etc, only because none of them agree with his assertions. How is it possible that only Mr Maharaj has the sole correct position on these issues?
  8. The Public Protector informed Mr Maharaj that the IPID should investigate the allegeations reported by him.
  9. Maharaj made similar allegations about the former IPID Executive Director, Mr Francois Beukman, who in now the Chairman of the Portfolio Committee on Police.
  10. He was subsequently dismissed and upon appeal, the former Minister of Police, Mr Nathi Mthethwa referred his appeal to Mr McBride, who reinstated him.

The IPID will make a presentation before the Moerane Commission on 28 August 2017, and it will show that Mr Maharaj's testimony has no basis in fact. At best, it is based on ignorance of IPID investigative processes, at worst, it is made for an ulterior purpose.

Issued by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate
For inquiries, contact:
Mr Moses Dlamini - National Spokesman
012 399 0049 / 082 781 7112
mdlamini@ipid.gov.za