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Crime Intelligence Boss Wants Bail Conditions Relaxed to Return to Work
Major General Dumisani Khumalo, head of Crime Intelligence in South Africa, is trying to return to his post, but there’s one problem. His current bail conditions, set after his June 2025 arrest, bar him from accessing any Crime Intelligence premises. Now, he wants the court to lift that restriction.
Khumalo appeared in the Pretoria District Court on Friday with six fellow top SAPS officials, all facing charges over alleged misconduct in the appointment of Brigadier Dineo Mokwele. The charges revolve around flouting vetting procedures and manipulating her appointment to a high-ranking post within the technical support services division.
Inside the case: Who’s involved and what they’re accused of
Alongside Khumalo, the other accused include Major Generals Philani Lushaba (Chief Financial Officer), Nosipho Madondo, Josias Lekalaka, and Zwelithini Gabela, and Brigadiers Phindile Ncube and Mokwele herself. All are out on bail ranging between R10,000 and R20,000.
One condition of their bail is a strict ban on entering Crime Intelligence offices or interacting with state witnesses. Now, Khumalo, Madondo, Lekalaka, and Mokwele are seeking to have those terms loosened so they can return to work, but the state is opposing the application outright.
The matter has been postponed to 8 September 2025 for further disclosure and a possible transfer to the regional court.
The deeper concern: public trust in SAPS intelligence
Beyond the courtrooms, Parliament is paying close attention. Jan de Villiers, who chairs the public service and administration portfolio committee, has called for an urgent audit of Crime Intelligence operations, citing longstanding concerns over poor accountability.
In particular, de Villiers flagged the Secret Services Account, a classified fund used for covert activities and informants, as a high-risk area. He warned that irregular appointments, inflated staff numbers, and ghost employees may already be embedded within SAPS intelligence structures.
“This is not just about finances,” de Villiers said. “It’s about restoring credibility and ensuring that Crime Intelligence operates ethically and transparently.”
Why this matters
While high-level corruption cases are not new in South Africa, the involvement of senior intelligence officials raises the stakes significantly. Crime Intelligence deals with sensitive information, surveillance, and national security matters. If its leadership is compromised, the ripple effect can be dangerous.
Khumalo’s request to return to his role highlights the blurred lines between legal rights, institutional trust, and national accountability. Whether the court allows it or not, the case has already sparked renewed scrutiny of SAPS’s top brass and reopened public debate on how seriously we treat internal misconduct at the highest levels.
Also read: Mpho Phalatse Breaks Silence on ActionSA Claims: ‘I’m Still With the DA’
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Source: The Citizen
Featured Image: African Insider
