Police minister Bheki Cele said on Thursday that Errol Velile Present‚ who worked at Luthuli House‚ had been linked to at least three cash-in-transit heists.

Present‚ who until Wednesday was an ANC employee at the party’s Luthuli House headquarters‚ stands accused of being involved in a cash-in-transit heist in Soweto and was arrested on July 7. The ANC confirmed he had been fired and would face disciplinary charges as an ordinary party member.

Cele‚ speaking in Cape Town on Thursday‚ said: “This is his third (alleged) cash heist … He works for the organising department on a temporary basis at Luthuli House.”

He said security officials at Luthuli House had told police that they “had their suspicions” about Present. Cele said that Present has missed two previous courts appearances on charges‚ including alleged drunk driving.

The Sunday Times has previously linked Present to a controversial farm deal in Limpopo. He will appear in court along with three alleged accomplices on charges related to armed robbery and possession of hijacked motor vehicles on July 31.