By Kim Helfrich
Tuesday, November 07, 2006 - Citizen Online
JOHANNESBURG - "I don't do crime. I am not corrupt," insists National Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi.
He was reacting to what he alleges is a smear campaign being waged against him to remove him from his post.
But Selebi claims he is more worried about the effects the five- month-long "smear campaign" against him will have on those he commands than any damage it might do to him personally.
Speaking in Pretoria yesterday at a hastily convened press conference, following two weeks of so-called revelations about him and his association with criminal elements, he said he could take the allegations on the chin.
"What worries me is how they will impact on the constables."
At this stage South Africa's top cop is not even thinking of arresting Paul O'Sullivan, the man apparently behind revelations on the front page of the Sunday Times for two weeks in a row.
"All the allegations are being investigated and if any law has been broken you can be sure arrests will follow," Selebi said.
Selebi and his number two, Assistant Commissioner Johan Pruis, were likened to a "police Mafia" who accepted money and consorted with known criminals.
"I have never accepted an envelope from anyone unless it's the National Treasury one containing my salary advice at month-end," Selebi said in response to allegations he'd received a R50000 cash bribe given to him in Sandton.
"Of course I have met many people and I have met Greg Agliotti, but to suddenly turn round and say this links me to criminality is not journalism.
"It is scraping sewerage pipes in the hope of finding roses."
Agliotti and alleged criminal Clint Nassif have been linked to Selebi by e-mail and leaks to the media, apparently masterminded by O'Sullivan, the one-time head of security at what was Johannesburg International Airport.
Pruis said he had contact with O'Sullivan and had invited him to yesterday's press conference to "once and for all clear up" this matter but the former airport security boss and police reservist had declined.
Selebi said the smear campaign against him had started five months ago and he had now decided to come out publicly because of the effect it was having on those under his command.
"My job is to manage the police, not run a security company as has been alleged. I have been doing this job for the past six and a half years - nothing else. I am not involved in any criminality."
He said he would be more than happy to open his financial records and accounts to any investigation because "I have nothing to hide".
kimh@citizen.co.za