Johannesburg - Controversial Gauteng police commissioner Lieutenant-Colonel Deliwe de Lange has denied playing a role in the appointment of her son into the police service.
But The Star can reveal De Lange signed off on the acceptance of Tshidiso Damane as a police trainee despite a criminal charge hanging over his head.
A charge of common assault against him was withdrawn three days after his admission to the Gauteng academy, and his enlistment was defended by Police Minister Nathi Nhleko.
De Lange was said not to have played a part in Damane’s recruitment into the SAPS by her spokesperson, Colonel Noxolo Kweza, who said Damane went through a typically stringent process.
However, in a parliamentary response to DA MP Marius Redelinghuys last month, Nhleko wrote that a recruitment board confirmed the recommendations, which included Damane’s recruitment, and De Lange, “in her capacity as the acting provincial commissioner, signed off and submitted (them) to SAPS head office for approval and call-up instructions”.
The board included the “SAPS environments and representatives of local communities”, and the recommendations were signed off on April 14 last year by Lieutenant-General Lineo Ntshiea.
Nhleko said more than 200 000 applications were received nationally, and about 197 173 of those were unsuccessful.
DA spokesperson for safety and security Kate Lorimer said Damane would have had to declare the criminal charge he faced at the time of his application. “If he didn’t, his application would have been fraudulent.”
The Star