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Richard Mdluli’s Crime Intelligence Unit is positioning itself as a war room in the run up to the ANC’s elective conference in Mangaung later this year. Mdluli’s restructuring agenda for the unit includes the incorporation of the VIP protection and security services into crime intelligence under his command.

The new Crime and Security Protection Intelligence Services reporting to Mdluli will guard senior politicians including Ministers and their deputies, Premiers and members of provincial executive committees (MECs).

Mdluli and others close to President Jacob Zuma will now be able to keep an ominously close eye on the activities of President’s Zuma’s opponents within and outside the ANC. Including those in the Western Cape government led by the Democratic Alliance (DA).

Senior police officers claim that Mdluli “will have everybody's ­itinerary on his desk daily. He will know if they deviate from it, who they meet — everything!" and that "Mdluli can see what every minister is doing 24 hours a day and that's exactly what Zuma wants."

Mdluli is infamous for his role in alerting President Zuma of an alleged plot by Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale and other ANC members to topple him as party president at Mangaung. He is also dogged by controversy for allegedly being implicated in murder and fraud (which charges have now been suspended by the National Prosecuting Authority) and for having the investigation into his reported wholesale looting of the SAPS Secret Service Account slush fund, as well as his hiring of numerous relatives, stopped by persons unknown. The Public Protector has agreed to investigate these matters at the request of the DA.

Along with Mdluli’s alleged close ties to the President, it is worrying that he is believed to regularly report to Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, reinforcing the impression that police intelligence is abused for political and factional battles.

Following on Mdluli’s controversial return to crime intelligence last month, the Mail & Guardian revealed today that one of President Zuma's most trusted bodyguards has been placed in charge of the operational spying structures of the police. Brigadier KB "Bhoyi" Ngcobo, a senior member of the presidential protection unit, was reportedly appointed as acting head of crime intelligence collection.

Ngcobo has been described by the President as one of the "echo group" of his protectors who had resisted pressure from "plotters" to inform on him during his time in the political wilderness. He further described his bodyguards as having a "deep knowledge of politics", refusing "to give information about my movements when their superiors wanted it".

This follows previous reports that six of President Jacob Zuma’s closest VIP bodyguards have been irregularly promoted to the top ranks of the police in keeping with what has been described as President Zuma’s “phalanx of praetorian guards” in the justice and security sector.

Crime intelligence is increasingly involved in domestic political affairs and focusing on political intelligence instead of its pivotal role in the fight against organised and serious crime.

The DA will ensure that Mdluli’s war room is subject to proper oversight by the Police Portfolio Committee and Joint Standing Committee on Intelligence as required by the Constitution.

Parliament has a constitutional duty to enforce accountability and transparency. The abuse of intelligence structures and resources of the state for political and factional battles is unacceptable and unconstitutional.