Former Police Minister Bheki Cele and ex-head of the Cato Manor organised crime unit, Major General Johan Booysen, have described the disbandment of the elite unit more than a decade ago as a devastating blow to KwaZulu-Natal’s fight against violent crime.
The unit, which specialised in tackling organised criminal networks including those linked to the taxi industry, was credited with halting cash-in-transit heists in the province. “Cash-in-transit heists in KwaZulu-Natal were zero because of the work of that unit,” Cele told an Ad Hoc committee probing political and police collusion in crime.
The Cato Manor unit was shut down in 2012 following allegations — later retracted — that it operated as a “kill squad”. Several officers were arrested and charged, leading to years of legal battles and compensation claims for what former members say was unlawful and politically motivated action.
Booysen said the closure stripped the police of invaluable expertise and deeply embedded informant networks. “Years of institutional knowledge… were lost. Not surprisingly, crime spiked as a result,” he said.
Both Cele and Booysen argue that internal damage to police leadership, especially during former national commissioner Riah Phiyega’s tenure, contributed to a surge in violent crime. Cele said earlier police leadership managed crime levels effectively, but the later collapse in organisational integrity left crime “out of control”.
Booysen warned that urgent and strong leadership is needed to rebuild policing capacity. “There is no time to experiment. Strong and decisive leadership is required to salvage the police as an organisation,” he said.