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Top cops in turf wars

POLICE Commissioner Riah Phiyega is running a force manned by leaders who have made it their mission to eat each other alive.

In her own words, the top cops are "cannibalising" each other. She has also confessed she was struggling to understand the complexity of SAPS operations.

Sowetan has obtained new details of secret conversations between Phiyega and Western Cape commissioner Arno Lamoer that shed some light on this cannibalisation. They also provide clues on the drama around the suspension of top cops including Robert McBride, Anwa Dramat and Chris Ngcobo.

This week Police Minister Nathi Nhleko suspended McBride, head of police watchdog the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, for producing two contradictory reports on the deportation of Zimbabwean suspects in 2010.

But senior cops supporting the three believe that one of the reasons, in addition to Dramat investigating Nkandla's security measures, was that he also stepped on Phiyega's toes. This was when he and Ngcobo investigated Lamoer for being linked with a drug dealer.

Phiyega came under fire for tipping off Lamoer late in 2013 that he was being investigated by Ngcobo, the suspended acting head of crime intelligence, and Dramat, the suspended head of the Hawks.

But the back-stabbing in the SAPS and the spy wars were bound to happen.

In one of the secret conversations recorded by crime intelligence, Phiyega paints a picture of the SAPS as a jungle through which she is struggling to find her way.

"You know General Lamoer, it will take me a long time to understand this organisation that we are part of. It is a very complex organisation. It is an organisation with an attitude that cannibalises," she said.

"We cannibalise one another for what reason I don't know. We are cannibalising each other's energy."

She also speaks of how Dramat had undermined her by investigating Lamoer without her knowledge, saying the probe had malicious intent.

"I don't understand why is the DPCI [Hawks] looking into your space; I don't understand why is the CI [crime intelligence] looking into your space because nothing has been brought to my attention," she said.

"I just hope we can move this organisation in a different space. I really pray God that we can do that, probably we won't change everybody," she added. But Lamoer himself was caught cannibalising on Phiyega by making disparaging comments about her appointments. He suggested in one conversation that she was worse than the late Jackie Selebi, the former police commissioner.

The spy tapes resurfaced as questions were being asked about the reasons for the suspension of senior cops and the progress into investigations into Lamoer and an internal disciplinary action against Phiyega.

Asked about the conversations between Lamoer and Phiyega, SAPS spokesman Solomon Makgale said: "As this matter is yet to be finalised, it would not be prudent to talk about the conversation . suffice to say that the national commissioner would always... ensure there is justice and fairness in any investigation."

Makgale said the decisions to suspend Dramat and McBride had been "clearly communicated".

Nhleko's spokesman Musa Zondi said the minister was "still applying his mind" on a recommendation to discipline Phiyega. Hawks spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi said the drug dealer was still under investigation.