In the meantime, Mdluli has continued to earn a full salary, with benefits, while he sits at home.

Mdluli, along with co-accused Mthembeni Mthunzi, is facing charges for the 1999 murder of Oupa Abel Ramogibe - Mdluli's ex-girlfriend's husband.

Both men face charges of intimidation, kidnapping, assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm, and defeating the ends of justice to which they have pleaded not guilty.

Six years ago, on March 31, 2011, Mdluli was arrested on 18 charges related to the murder, and he appeared in the Boksburg Magistrate's Court.

He was officially suspended on May 8, 2011 by former police commissioner Bheki Cele.  Mduli was further charged with fraud relating to the unlawful appointments of family members as paid police officers to crime intelligence.

He was also accused of allegedly misusing money from the police's slush fund to purchase luxury vehicles for his family members.

The charges were provisionally withdrawn and Mdluli was reinstated. But Freedom Under Law brought an application before the courts and he was re-suspended in 2012.

It has been reported numerous times over the years since then that Mdluli is still taking home a full salary.

City Press reported in 2015 that Mdluli still had a full-time driver and bodyguard, a state vehicle, business class flights, and newspaper subscriptions delivered to his home on Gauteng's East Rand.

'Running CI from his lounge'

Forensic investigator Paul O'Sullivan wrote a letter to Members of Parliament about Mdluli, saying that it only took three years and 10 months to construct the Gautrain.

"The big question has to be asked, why has he not been fired," O'Sullivan said.

He said, in the letter, that Mdluli would reach the statutory retirement age of 60 in 2018.

"Why don't we just call for him to be paid his money and terminate his service, as it is a fact that he is still running crime intelligence (CI) from his home in Dawn Park.

"More worrying is that whilst he has been running CI from his lounge, he has been arranging for illegal appointments by third force elements into CI."

O'Sullivan told the parliamentary portfolio committee on police that Mdluli effectively managed the police service.

When asked if Mdluli did not feel it was wrong to still be taking home a salary, Mdluli's lawyer, Ike Motloung, said: "General Mdluli was suspended by Judge Makgoka, who agreed with Freedom Under Law that he must be suspended. So, please direct your question to those responsible for his suspension."

Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Khomotso Phahlane said, through his spokesperson Athlenda Mathe: "Matters before the courts of our country shall be respected and allowed to reach their natural conclusion. The department will be guided by the decision of the court. It is not within our mandate to subject any member to a trial through the media."

News24