Whistleblowers allege ‘untouchable’ Free State cabal within police ranks

Three police officials have told Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating police corruption that there’s an untouchable cabal of senior police from the Free State. 

The trio voluntarily made the joint submission on Wednesday, during the last day of public hearings before the Ad Hoc Committee.

The committee has also heard from other witnesses and whistleblowers during its public submissions who spoke of factions and deep-rooted corruption in various divisions of the police.

The three police officials made their joint submission on Wednesday as the committee continued its public hearings. Their submission was led by Sekodi Ramalepe, who has served as a police union representative and in the police’s ballistics division.

He told the committee that over the years they’ve witnessed acts of corruption and gross irregularities within the police’s forensic division. Ramalepe also spoke of how people from the Free State are favoured at police headquarters.

"You check how now head office is structured. Strategic positions, all appointees are from Free State, I don’t know if you’ve noticed that."

He says they are also powerful and listed specific individuals to illustrate the trend.

"Major General Ramorena-Tsoai is from the Free State. And then the CFO Lt Gen Puleng Dimpane, Free State. Major General Masemola, Free State. And you can’t touch those people."

Ramalepe says he tried to report the systemic corruption in the forensic division to its former head Khomotso Phahlane, but nothing ever happened.