Police chief rescinds appointment of acting crime intelligence chief

21 August 2017 - 15:24 By Staff Reporter
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Acting National police commissioner Lesetja Mothiba will oversee the work of the crime intelligence division for now.
Acting National police commissioner Lesetja Mothiba will oversee the work of the crime intelligence division for now.
Image: Supplied

Acting head of crime intelligence Major-General Pat Mokushane has lost the position amid a row over his security clearance.

The termination of his appointment as acting crime intelligence chief was confirmed on Monday afternoon by Richard Mamabolo‚ spokesperson for the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union.

It is understood that acting national police commissioner Lesetja Mothiba will oversee the work of the crime intelligence division for now‚ according to a letter signed by Mothiba that TimesLive has seen. Poprcru was unable to confirm this.

The letter does not provide a reason for the termination of the acting appointment.

National police spokesperson Major General Sally de Beer said she could not confirm or deny Mokushane's removal. She said the SAPS would issue a statement later on Monday.

Last week‚ some MPs called for Mothiba to resign because he had appointed Mokushane without a valid security clearance certificate.

Mothiba admitted to the portfolio committee on police that Mokushane had not been vetted and was being investigated for allegedly appointing his wife as a personal assistant.

In June‚ Mokushane defended his past during his first appearance before parliament’s police committee‚ and said reports that his wife had been appointed as his PA were untrue.

“My wife is not a PA. She has been with the crime intelligence head office in the technical support unit for about four years. She is not in my office‚” he said at the time.

When his appointment‚ effective from June 10‚ was announced‚ Mothiba said Mokushane “has served in the South African Police Service for 23 years‚ the majority of his service being in intelligence". Mothiba added: "He has thus acquired vast experience in the police’s crime intelligence environment and his placement as the Acting Divisional Commissioner will enhance that division’s capacity to prevent and combat crime and maintain stability in South Africa”.

The previous incumbent in the post‚ Major General Agnes Makhele‚ returned to her permanent post as Provincial Head of Crime Intelligence in the Free State‚ after being in the position for 18 months.

Shortly after his appointment‚ Business Day reported that Mokushane was embroiled in a dispute with the South African Police Union (Sapu)‚ which objected to a plan to move crime intelligence personnel from the unit’s headquarters in Pretoria to regular police clusters around the country. Sapu‚ which was outraged that they had not been consulted‚ said the directive blind-sided the union and its members when it was announced by Mokushane. The directive was withdrawn shortly afterwards.

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