Johannesburg - The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has denied that foreign nationals are working in the police service.
This is after whistle-blower Patricia Mashale alleged that the SAPS in the Free State had been employing foreign nationals who used fake documents to secure jobs in the service.
Mashale is a former administrative clerk who worked in the Free State Police’s firearms, liquor, and second-hand goods departments. She has since been fired and has gone into hiding amid death threats against her.
This week, she continued to level criticism against the police minister and IPID boss, Jennifer Ntlatseng, and other officials whom she accused of condoning corruption.
She said that several high-ranking officials within the police force were undocumented immigrants who secured their positions using fake documents.
Mashale said she handed over a report on the complaints about the employment of foreign nationals to Minister of Police Bheki Cele and the IPID.
Mashale said she has evidence of the names of SAPS police officers whose names and ID numbers do not exist at the Department of Home Affairs.
"I have proof that currently in the Free State crime intelligence there are people with fraudulent matric certificates ... I have a list of their names from the department of Home Affairs, informing SAPS that their ID numbers do not exist on the Home Affairs systems. All this evidence has been submitted to IPID. Cele is trying to bury the final investigation report," she said.
IPID spokesperson Lizzy Suping confirmed to The Star that Mashale has come forward with information regarding some of her allegations. She said their investigation into foreign nationals being employed by the SAPS yielded no results. This came after Mashale said Major General Agnes Makhele, nee Moyo, was a Zimbabwean national. Mashale has also released a list of other names of foreign nationals who are in the employ of the police services.
"An investigation into a senior SAPS official responsible for human resources he is not a South Africa has been concluded and the country’s records have revealed that the concerned SAPS senior official is a South African citizen," Suping said.
She said IPID has investigated other allegations made by Mashale following a meeting with her group.
"IPID has investigated cases that were referred to us by Ms Mashale and a group of disgruntled police officers following our meeting with them in April 2022. The meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister of SAPS, IPID Executive Director and the President of the National Democratic Lawyers (Nadel).
"The officers raised a variety of issues which ranged from corruption, abuse of power by SAPS Free State management, unfair labour practice/dismissals etc. The meeting agreed that Nadel would engage with the members on labour related issues and the following issues were referred to IPID for investigation," she said.
Suping said that on the allegations of corruption, nepotism, and abuse of power and state resources, this investigation has been concluded.
"The investigation has been concluded while allegations against infiltration of her phone records, the matter is still being investigated by the inspector general of intelligence.
"Referral reports sent to SAPS to action the recommendations because the investigation pointed out that SAPS Free State failed to address legitimate concerns raised by the complainant and other officers," she said.
When it comes to allegations that Mashale’s telephone records are being monitored, IPD said that matter is still being investigated by the Inspector General of Intelligence.
On Monday, Cele denied receiving any intelligence from Mashale, adding that he has never met or seen her.
The Star