Lt-Gen Mbotho

The DPCI TO MS mandate has been dismantled under General Mbotho and Brigadier Mokoena, limiting members' tactical equipment access and overtime compensation, resulting in resignations or transfers.

“I have been informed by members that, as threatened by General Mbotho, TO MS's mandate has been completely dismantled...members forced to surrender tactical equipment such as rifles...not allowed for immediate response...members who work overtime are not compensated...dedicated members have either resigned or took transfers out of TO MS”

The Tactical Operational Management Service (TOMS) team processed and detained suspects and booked 32 firearms during an operation on 7 August 2024.

“The TOMS team processed the suspects and detained them and booked all 32 firearms in the SAP 13. After midnight on 7 August 024”

General Mbotho instructed that the TOMS team operating on the scene must return to the police station and make statements, implying the original statements were incomplete and could affect court scheduling.

“General Mbotho said that the whole team of TOMS that operated on the scene must go back to the police station and make statements as the statements made when opening the case might be incomplete and the case may not be placed on the court roll on Monday 9 September 2024”

Colonel Gkekoane attempted to instruct the TOMS members on what to write and say in their statements under General Mbotho's instruction, but the witness refused and wrote a truthful attached statement.

“Colonel Gkekoane wanted to lead TOMS members on what to write and say in their statements, which he insisted was as per the instruction of General Mbotho. I refused and instructed members to write what really transpired and I also wrote a statement as attached here to”

Brigadier Mokoena is alleged to collect protection fees every month from Ms Mpopowe, suspected for himself and General Mbotho.

“There were rumours and allegations made on the streets that Brigadier Mokoena is collecting protection fee from Ms Mpopowe every month suspected to be for him and General Mbotho”

After his appointment as Divisional Commissioner of DPCI, General Mbotho visited the TOMS office to introduce himself and started making threats to the unit, insisting members report every work-related movement and get approval for work outside Gauteng.

“General Mbotho, after his appointment as Divisional Commissioner of DPCI, visited the TOMS office to introduce himself and meet the team, but started making threats to the unit during the introduction. He insisted that all members must inform him of every work-related movement and that no member should conduct work outside Gauteng without his knowledge and approval”

General Mbotho further threatened members, promising to deal with them, and stated his dislike of the TOMS unit and intention to have it fall under General Flynn to keep it away from him.

“He was threatening members and promising to deal with them. He also indicated that he does not want, nor like the TOMS unit, and that he intends talking to the National Head that TOMS fall under General Flynn because he does not want TOMS near him”

The allegations of corrupt activities involving Ms Mpopowe, Brigadier Mokoena, and General Mbotho were never investigated or followed up by TOMS or DPCI North West.

“All allegations above were never investigated further by any member from TOMS and do not know if DPCI North West also investigated the allegations”

Witness I wrote to Ian Cameron, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of Police in Parliament, about the conduct of General Mbotho but did not receive a substantive response.

“Around 025, I wrote an email to Ian Cameron, the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee of Police in Parliament about the conduct of General Mbotho ... I requested Mr Ian Cameron to have a meeting with me and he responded he cannot secure an appointment without knowing the discussion title. Since then no further contact occurred”

General Mbotho expressed the view that the firearms seized belonged to a security company and were legal, which the witness interpreted as a possible attempt to release suspects with firearms.

“General Mbotho was telling me that was his view. But in giving me his view, I sense that maybe he wanted us to release the suspects with the firearms”

General Mbotho directs that the Generals be informed when TO M S is working out of province, but he wants to know all details and suspects which is seen as conflicting to the idea that Generals only focus on unit success once arrests are made.

“The Generals are informed whenever TO M S is working out of the province because itineraries are assigned by the General. Here, the problem is that General Mbotho wants to know all nitty-gritty of the matter, what you are working on, who are the suspects, which is seen as conflicting... they should only be concerned with success of the unit once arrest has been made, not knowledge of suspects being addressed or dealt with by the unit.”

On 1 September 2024, Maj-Gen Flynn was appointed as Component Head for Serious Organised Crime Investigation within the DPCI nationally and currently reports to Lt-Gen Mbotho, the DPCI Divisional Commissioner.

“On 1 September 2024, I was appointed to my current position as Component Head for Serious Organised Crime Investigation within the DPCI nationally. I currently report to Lt-Gen Mbotho, who is the DPCI Divisional Commissioner”

General Mbotho inquired with Maj-Gen Flynn about any operations being conducted by his unit in the Sandton area on 6 December 2024 at Mr Katiso Molefe's residence.

“General Mbotho gave evidence before the Commission about a takedown operation that had been undertaken on 6 December 2024 at Mr Katiso Molefe's residence, and he said that you were one of the Component Heads that he had enquired from as to whether your unit was conducting any operations in the Sandton area”

Maj-Gen Flynn confirmed that he denied any involvement of his personnel in the operation at Mr Molefe's residence and was at the Excellence Awards of the DPCI on that date.

“I confirmed the enquiry that was made by General Mbotho. By then, on that specific date, we were at the Excellence Awards of the DPCI. I was approached by the General and he made enquiries with me, and I denied that any of my personnel are involved in any operation at Mr Molefe's residence”

Maj-Gen Flynn did not receive details from General Mbotho about why the inquiry was made regarding operations in Sandton or about allegations that people were impersonating Hawks members at Mr Molefe's residence.

“No, I did not receive any detail, Commissioners”

General Mbotho remained Provincial Head of DPCI North West when Maj-Gen Flynn was promoted to head office on 1 September 2024; Mbotho did not influence Flynn's move to head office.

“The General by then, when I got promoted to head office from the 1st of September 2024, the General Mbotho was by then still the Provincial Head of the DPCI North West, and so I arrived in head office before him”