Nqakula tells parliament Scorpions crime unit to go

CAPE TOWN – South Africa’s elite Scorpions crimefighting unit will be dissolved, the security minister said yesterday, in a blow to President Thabo Mbeki, who had defended the FBI-style organisation.

The Scorpions have waged a bitter turf war with the police and have been accused of using their power to settle political scores, most notably in the case of African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma, who has been charged with corruption. “The Scorpions …will be dissolved and the organised crime unit of the police will be phased out and a new amalgamated unit will be created,” Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula told parliament in Cape Town.The Scorpions, established by Mbeki in 1999 to fight high-profile corruption cases, are not part of the police and report to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).The NPA answers to South Africa’s Justice Department.The Scorpions raided properties belonging to Zuma and his lawyer in 2005 as part of a corruption probe against him.The action prompted the pro-Zuma wing of the ruling party to brand the unit a political tool of Mbeki and push for it to be incorporated into the police.The ANC passed a resolution to do so in December after overwhelmingly electing Zuma as leader in a two-man contest with Mbeki, who has continued to fight to keep the Scorpions intact.In 2004 the Scorpions arrested Mark Thatcher, son of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, in connection with a plot to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea.Nampa-Reuters”The Scorpions …will be dissolved and the organised crime unit of the police will be phased out and a new amalgamated unit will be created,” Safety and Security Minister Charles Nqakula told parliament in Cape Town.The Scorpions, established by Mbeki in 1999 to fight high-profile corruption cases, are not part of the police and report to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).The NPA answers to South Africa’s Justice Department.The Scorpions raided properties belonging to Zuma and his lawyer in 2005 as part of a corruption probe against him.The action prompted the pro-Zuma wing of the ruling party to brand the unit a political tool of Mbeki and push for it to be incorporated into the police.The ANC passed a resolution to do so in December after overwhelmingly electing Zuma as leader in a two-man contest with Mbeki, who has continued to fight to keep the Scorpions intact.In 2004 the Scorpions arrested Mark Thatcher, son of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, in connection with a plot to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea.Nampa-Reuters

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