South Africa’s crime intelligence scandal deepens: Nepotism and cover-up allegations expose systemic corruption

Key topics: Dineo Mokwele appointed brigadier without SAPS experience or qualificationsAppointment linked to father’s alleged cover-up of political murderCrime Intelligence boss and six others arrested, case postponed to August.Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here.The auditorium doors will open for BNIC#2 on 10 September 2025 in Hermanus. For more information and tickets, click here..By Kerry Lanaghan.Listen to this story instead:.A corruption scandal engulfing South Africa’s Crime Intelligence unit is deepening, as new revelations expose the troubling appointment of a 30-year-old woman with no policing experience to a senior covert operations post - allegedly as a reward for her father's attempt to cover up a politically linked murder.In report made by EWN, the woman at the centre of the controversy, Dineo Mokwele, was one of seven people arrested last week alongside the country’s Crime Intelligence boss, Major General Dumisani Khumalo. They face charges of fraud and corruption relating to Mokwele’s appointment as technical support system manager - a role critical to the management of national covert operations within SAPS Crime Intelligence.Despite lacking both policing experience and the requisite qualifications, Mokwele was granted the senior rank of brigadier, a post that typically demands years of service and specialised training. According to prosecutors, Mokwele falsely claimed to hold an MBA to secure the position, but investigations revealed she only registered for the degree this year and has not completed it.Even more damning is the connection to her father, Brigadier Mapome Mohajane, who is already facing his own corruption charges. Mohajane, stationed at the Hawks' national office in Tshwane, was arrested earlier this year for allegedly attempting to interfere in a 2022 investigation involving a Limpopo councillor - a case widely believed to be tied to a political assassination.Mohajane is accused of approaching the investigating officer and offering inducements such as tenders, a job promotion, and other favours from SAPS head office in exchange for obstructing the case. He was released on R10,000 bail and his case is still ongoing.Anti-crime activist Ian Cameron has drawn attention to the apparent nepotism and political interference in Mokwele’s appointment, describing it as a “reward” for her father’s efforts to shield political interests from criminal accountability.“This 30-year-old, who was working at a car dealership just last year, was suddenly handed control of a sensitive national covert operations department. It’s shocking and a clear indictment of the rot within SAPS Crime Intelligence,” Cameron stated in a post on X, also highlighting that Mokwele’s rapid promotion to brigadier at age 29 occurred under “strange and questionable circumstances.”The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), which led the probe and arrests, has expressed confidence in the strength of its case. Alongside Khumalo and Mokwele, the co-accused include senior SAPS figures such as Gauteng Crime Intelligence head Josias Lekalakala. All seven were granted bail following their court appearance on Friday.Prosecutor Joy Hlatshwayo stressed the seriousness of the allegations, stating in court that Mokwele’s false credentials and abrupt rise into a high-level intelligence post not only undermined the integrity of the institution but posed a threat to national security.“The accused did not possess the required qualifications. She was not a SAPS member. Yet she was handed a position managing technical systems at the heart of covert operations - this cannot be seen as a coincidence,” Hlatshwayo said.The case has been postponed to August, with IDAC expected to build on its investigation into the broader network that enabled such a brazen abuse of power within one of the country’s most sensitive security structures.As more details emerge, the case is becoming emblematic of the deep-rooted corruption and patronage networks plaguing South Africa’s law enforcement institutions - with critics warning that political interference continues to hollow out vital state functions and compromise public safety.

South Africa’s crime intelligence scandal deepens: Nepotism and cover-up allegations expose systemic corruption

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