By Thapelo Molefe
Explosive allegations of corruption, nepotism, and intimidation have emerged in the Tshwane Metropolitan Police Department (TMPD), as the ANC Greater Tshwane Region publicly called out senior officials for misconduct.
At a media briefing on Tuesday, the ANC accused the City of Tshwane’s Chief of Police, Yolande Faro, along with her deputy and other senior officials, of abusing state resources, manipulating tenders, and sidelining diligent junior officials.
“You have a Chief of Police who received a bribe of R450,000 and went to Sun City,” said the ANC regional spokesperson Joel Masilela Ka Mahlangu.
“The investigation that had to probe that Christmas gift had to hide certain things. The Council was misled.”
Masilela added that the deputy chief of police received a certificate for training she never attended, while key functions of Corporate Services were illegally reassigned to favoured deputies, creating operational anomalies.
The ANC also raised serious concerns about the recruitment of 200 new TMPD trainees, alleging the process was marred by nepotism.
“Senior government officials have appointed their own children,” Masilela said.
“Innocent young people who wanted to serve in the TMPD are left outside. Those who never participated are now being trained. That is nepotism at its best.”
The Tshwane ANC secretary George Matjila highlighted the risks faced by investigators probing senior TMPD officials.
“Group Audit and Risk is investigating senior TMPD officials. Those conducting these investigations have requested protection because they feared for their lives,” Matjila said.
“This shows how entrenched corruption is at senior levels.”
The briefing also focused on the controversial appointment of Revo Spies, Deputy Chief of Police, whose qualifications and previous record were called into question.
Masilela explained: “Revo Spies does not have the required qualifications. He left Ekurhuleni Metro Police under a serious cloud and was irregularly appointed here. His structure was only appointed when he was in office, while the one doing the work was seated at home. He was also interviewed seven days after a memorandum instructed there should be no interviews.”
Matjila linked these allegations to wider service delivery failures in the city.
“It cannot be that every now and then there is no electricity in the city, and we keep quiet. We are of the view that these things are orchestrated, a moneymaking scheme,” he said, pointing to repeated power station breakdowns across Tshwane.
The ANC also reported unauthorised use of city resources, including housing service providers in city buildings and deploying a vehicle meant for politicians to follow the Chief of Police to Durban.
“That vehicle was involved in a crash and was never reported. No investigation has been done,” Masilela said.
When asked about allegations that some ANC councillors received kickbacks from the City’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Matjila dismissed the claims as unverified.
“We are not aware of any councillor receiving money from the CFO. If such allegations are presented with evidence, the ANC will act decisively,” he said.
Masilela emphasised the ANC’s stance on accountability, even within a coalition government.
“The ANC cannot preside over a government that hides wrongdoing by officials. The rotten potatoes must be rooted out without fear or favour,” he said.
The party announced plans to submit dossiers to law enforcement agencies and pursue a full independent forensic investigation into the conduct of TMPD leadership.
“We lead the charge for those to be investigated by law enforcement agencies and decisive action to be taken. This is only the beginning,” Matjila said.
Highlighting the plight of diligent junior officials, Masilela said: “The innocent young people who wanted to be in the service of TMPD are left outside. Those that never participated are now being trained there. And junior officials doing their job are being punished, while the senior ones continue unchecked.”
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