Suspended National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola approved a move to terminate Brigadier Dineo Mokwele’s employment over alleged misrepresentation during her enlistment, after an internal SAPS investigation cleared the senior Crime Intelligence officers accused over the appointment that brought her into the division.
A human resource management information note prepared on August 20, 2025, and approved by Masemola the following day states: “The office of the divisional commissioner human resource management was authorised to notify Brigadier Mokwele of the intention to terminate her employment based on alleged misrepresentation during her enlistment process.”
The same document recommended lifting temporary transfers imposed on Crime Intelligence head Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo and several senior officers after an internal investigation found no prima facie evidence of misconduct against them.
The decision produced a split outcome. The senior officers linked to Mokwele’s appointment were cleared but Mokwele remained exposed because SAPS believed questions about the information she supplied during her appointment had not been resolved.
Retired Western Cape police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembisile Patekile conducted the departmental investigation after Mokwele, Khumalo and five other senior officers were arrested by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac). Patekile found no prima facie evidence against Khumalo and the other senior officers but he did not reach a final finding on Mokwele.
“The allegation against Brigadier Mokwele relating to false and misleading information in her application and curriculum vitae was not assessed conclusively due to lack of cooperation by Idac and BMW,” the human resource management note records. Patekile referred the unresolved issue back to Idac and recorded that his conclusion concerning Mokwele could have to be reconsidered if further evidence emerged.
The dispute then shifted to an affidavit by senior Idac investigator Brian Padayachee. Patekile considered it but concluded that it added no further value to his investigation, while Dimpane rejected that finding and said the affidavit contained relevant information.
“After receiving the investigating officer report, human resource management held the view that Mr Padayachee’s affidavit served as sufficient information to consider termination of Brigadier Mokwele’s appointment,” its note states.
The three different readings of the same affidavit became one of the most consequential features of the internal process.
Masemola ultimately approved the human resource management position.
The apparent legal distinction was between the conduct of the officials who appointed Mokwele and the accuracy of Mokwele’s own representations. The investigation against the senior officers required evidence that they intentionally acted improperly, ignored material information or facilitated an unlawful appointment.
The proposed employment process against Mokwele could focus more narrowly on whether she personally supplied false or misleading information.
The documents show that Masemola approved the issuing of a notice of intention to terminate Mokwele’s employment but do not contain a final finding that she lied about her qualifications.
The weakness in that position became more significant when evidence at the Madlanga commission showed that Mokwele possessed technical qualifications relevant to the Crime Intelligence post.
Outgoing Idac head Advocate Andrea Johnson also admitted that she had not personally seen Mokwele’s job application before describing her appointment as a token appointment – a description she later withdrew, and apologised for.
Her concessions did not determine whether every statement contained in her employment records was accurate.
SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe declined to comment on internal departmental processes.
- Suspended National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola approved a move to terminate Brigadier Dineo Mokwele’s employment over alleged misrepresentation during her enlistment, after an internal SAPS investigation cleared the senior Crime Intelligence officers accused over the appointment that brought her into the division.
- A human resource management information note prepared on August 20, 2025, and approved by Masemola the following day states: “The office of the divisional commissioner human resource management was authorised to notify Brigadier Mokwele of the intention to terminate her employment based on alleged misrepresentation during her enlistment process.” The same document recommended lifting temporary transfers imposed on Crime Intelligence head Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo and several senior officers after an internal investigation found no prima facie evidence of misconduct against them.
- The decision produced a split outcome.
- The senior officers linked to Mokwele’s appointment were cleared but Mokwele remained exposed because SAPS believed questions about the information she supplied during her appointment had not been resolved.
- Retired Western Cape police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembisile Patekile conducted the departmental investigation after Mokwele, Khumalo and five other senior officers were arrested by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac).
