The Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration has acceded to a request from the Portfolio Committee on Police to refer allegations against Major General Patrick Mbotho from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) to the Public Service Commission (PSC) for an urgent and in-depth investigation.
Mbotho was accused of posting graphic sexual content on a South African Police Service (SAPS) detective command WhatsApp group from his official cellphone in 2017. He was appointed as divisional commissioner for national priority offences at the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), otherwise known as the Hawks, from 1 October.
Jan de Villiers, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Public Service and Administration, on 30 September 2024 requested the PSC to institute the investigation into Mbotho.
“The decision to refer the matter to the PSC signals the strong intention and commitment of both committees to ensure that the leadership of all state organs are above reproach and have at the centre the need for effective and efficient public service,” de Villiers said.
“The fight against crime requires police officers of high integrity who are beyond reproach. The ongoing scourge of extortions crippling the country and the fact that some police officials are also accused of perpetrating extortion highlight why there is a need for ethical and servant SAPS members,” the committees said in a joint statement.
“The fact that Major General Mbotho has had various allegations of impropriety against him might create a negative perception about the SAPS’s willingness to fight crime,” said Ian Cameron, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Police.
The investigation was lodged in accordance with Chapter 2 of the PSC rules on conducting investigations established in 2017. While the police portfolio committee has previously called for the DPCI leadership to reconsider the appointment, the referral is based primarily on the need to investigate the serious allegations made against Major General Mbotho, the committees said.
Some of the allegations against him include that he posted various explicit and adult content to a Detective Commander’s WhatsApp group using his official cell phone. There were also allegations that Mbotho had meetings with individuals currently suspected of gang activity and extortions in the Western Cape. Other allegations allege that Mbotho was involved in interfering in criminal investigations and defeating the ends of justice.
“What is important for both committees is to ensure that capable, ethical and credible officers are in the forefront of the SAPS to strengthen crime-fighting efforts. Furthermore, the referral seeks to ensure a high standard of professionalism and accountability within the SAPS. There must be a clear message that all SAPS officers are capable and are of high integrity,” Cameron emphasised.