Richard Mdluli was appointed head of the South African Police Service's Crime Intelligence division in 2009 under President Zuma. Crime Intelligence controls one of the most sensitive budgets in the state: the Secret Service Account, a fund intended for covert operations, informant payments, and intelligence-gathering. Under Mdluli, it became a personal slush fund.
The charges allege that Mdluli used Secret Service Account funds for home renovations, luxury vehicle purchases, family holidays, and personal security. He allegedly created fictitious intelligence operations to justify the expenditure, complete with false reports and manufactured threats. The amounts may appear modest by state capture standards, but the institutional damage was immeasurable — the country's primary crime intelligence capability was compromised at its core.
What makes the Mdluli case uniquely instructive is the 13-year delay between charging and trial. The case was delayed by procedural challenges, political interference, and the NPA's own internal dysfunction. Under the Zuma administration, there were active efforts to drop the charges — which were themselves subject to court challenges. The trial finally commenced in May 2025, making it one of the longest-delayed corruption cases in South African legal history. Mdluli's case is a masterclass in how the system protects its own.