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SAPS leadership throws support behind Phiyega

Johannesburg - The SA Police Service's board of commissioners has thrown its support behind embattled national commissioner Riah Phiyega, saying criticism of her is unfair.

"The board has noticed a tendency to reduce everything, especially negative issues relating to policing, to the person of the national commissioner, as if the Saps is a one-person show," it said in a statement.

"It is therefore appropriate that the board publicly declares its full support for General Phiyega, and fully endorses her efforts in turning around the Saps."

It denied reports that the police leadership was unhappy with Phiyega.

The board of commissioners represents the nine provincial commissioners.

"Media reports claiming low morale, breaking of ranks and an overall messy state of affairs within the Saps are unfounded," it said.

"As the Saps top management, working closely with General Phiyega, we are surprised by these reports, as at no stage has our morale been low."

The Farlam Commission of Inquiry recommended in its report, released on June 25, that Phiyega face an inquiry into her fitness to hold office.

The commissioner had until July 31 to reply to President Jacob Zuma explaining why she should keep her job.

The presidency on Saturday said Phiyega had submitted her response to the president at around 23:00 on Friday.

The Farlam commission found that police leaders did not tell the truth about the events leading up to the killing of 34 striking workers at Lonmin’s Marikana mine on August 16 2012.

"The leadership of the police, on the highest level, appears to have taken the decision not to give the true version of how it came about that the 'tactical option' was implemented on the afternoon of August 16, and to conceal the fact that the plan to be implemented was hastily put together without inputs or evaluation," the report reads.

Phiyega said in a statement last Sunday that she would respond to Zuma.

"We have picked up some of the areas where we strongly disagree with the content of the report, such as the insinuation that management went to work that day with murderous intent. But this is a discussion for another day," she said.

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