I don’t know where things stand, says Nicolette Kinnear after security withdrawal

Cape Town – Assassinated detective Charl Kinnear’s widow, Nicolette, said she was met by surprise when she received a document informing her about the withdrawal of the Anti-Gang Unit (AGU) members guarding her family.

According to a leaked document she received on Monday, through an acting unit commander of the AGU, Karl Wienand, stated that with reference to an instruction given by the acting provincial police commissioner Thembisile Patekile at the Provincial Crime Combating Forum meeting, on the basis of the instruction members of the AGU would withdraw from guard duties from Tuesday.

“This will include both static and close protection duties that were provided to you,” the document stated.

Nicolette said she was not aware of the reasons behind the withdrawal. However, she said she has been in discussions with various people including the police minister Bheki Cele.

“I don’t know where things stand at the moment, and it’s difficult for me to say anything and I am hoping that I will receive some kind of communication from someone or somewhere,” she said.

Bishop Lavis Community Police Forum chairperson Graham Lindhorst said he was aware of the developments of the withdrawal of the AGU guarding Kinnear’s family.

Lindhorst said the forum had been in discussions with various role players since Monday night. However, he did not want to comment further as he feared for the safety of the Kinnear family.

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police chairperson Tina Joemat-Pettersson said the matter of deployment of security personnel to any person was based on a risk assessment done by the police.

Joemat-Pettersson said she awaited the risk assessment report and would comment once she has perused the report.

Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said the issues of security and/or guard duties for certain individuals as a result of an identified threat were best not discussed in the public domain.

“It is therefore recommended that the affected parties raise whatever concerns they have about their safety and security with the relevant authority within the police,” said Potelwa.

Whistle-blower and community activist Colin Arendse said he does not know what the police’s rationale was behind that decision, and they would be best placed to explain themselves.

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Cape Argus