KwaZulu-Natal head of the Hawks, Major General Lesetja Senona, has been told by the national office of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as Hawks, that ‘he must retrieve his office keys from the workplace’, his lawyer Rudolph Baloyi said.

On Saturday, Senona and his secretary were escorted out of the provincial police building by several officers over a perceived security breach.

Baloyi said that his client was also told on Saturday that he must not return to the office.

Provincial Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi ordered Senona’s removal while an investigation is underway.

Baloyi said Senona, who gave testimony at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry last week, was ordered to surrender his work equipment and instructed not to return.

Senona faced tough questions at the commission about his relationship with his alleged crime boss, Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and was also named in a Presidency statement as one of the five senior ranking police officers named in the commission’s interim report to face investigation.

Baloyi claimed that Senona’s life was in danger, mentioning that on Saturday, his client was followed by several cars, including some that appeared to be from the SAPS provincial office.

On Monday, Baloyi said that Senona was told by the DPCI national office that ‘he must go and fetch his office keys’. 

“They (DPCI) have responded to the General, but we are still awaiting a formal response, so that we can take everything forward. They simply said they are not aware (of the issue that resulted in gadgets being taken) and that he must go and get the keys to the office. So, basically that’s what they said,” he said.

He said his client is yet to be suspended and has not received any written notice or reasons for the action taken against him.

Baloyi added that they will consider everything, including the next step forward, once they receive formal correspondence from the Hawks.

“We will consider everything then. We just need to look at what response we get, and then we will be able to move from there,” Baloyi said. 

The KZN provincial police on Sunday, said that Senona’s removal from his office was related to him violating protocol and that ‘on weekends and after normal working hours, everybody who enters the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Headquarters building, regardless of rank, must sign a register’.

Police said Senona breached security protocol by going through to his office without signing the register.

His secretary signed, but only for herself. A Colonel, who also entered the building, failed to sign the register, according to KZN police.

The police further said that Mkhwanazi instructed the security personnel to go to  Senona to ask him what he was doing in the office.

“Major General Senona chose to leave the office and wanted to take the state computer and other documents with him. He was then asked to leave all state property behind, except for his official cellphone. Major General Senona voluntarily left the keys of his office,” said the police.

Brigadier Thandi Mbambo, the DPCI’s national spokesperson, said that “DPCI will not be drawn into discussing internal issues in the public domain.”

Professor Sipho Seepe, a political analyst from the University of Zululand, said that this incident is a matter that relates to “an uncharacteristic and suspicious conduct of Major-General Senona.”

“Calling others to account should not be interpreted as evidence of a fallout or expression of factionalism within the SAPS. Nothing so far suggested a rift between the Hawks and Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi.

“Besides, the Hawks can not be seen as supporting wrongful conduct by any of its members. The people of KwaZulu-Natal are sensible enough to discern matters that are in-house disciplinary matters and those that relate to criminality,” Seepe said.

gcwalisile.khanyile@inl.co.za

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