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Former acting National Police Commissioner Khomotso Phahlane at the Ad Hoc Committee
Former acting National Police Commissioner Khomotso Phahlane has acknowledged that political interference in the South African Police Service (SAPS) has been prevalent for a long time.
Phahlane says it began after the ANC Polokwane Conference in 2007.
He is testifying before the Ad Hoc Committee investigating wide-ranging allegations of criminal infiltration, corruption and political interference in the justice system.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNf69nK160A
KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi made the allegations during a media briefing last year.
Phahlane elaborates on his utterances.
“We must not shy away. Political interference has been prevalent in the South African Police Service, and it became more prevalent following I think the 2007 Polokwane Conference where many of these things that lead to where you are taking me to happened because from there on, we started seeing practices that were not the norm. I am the last person following a submission to Cabinet. Everyone else that was appointed after my time that process did not follow the Cabinet process.”
Meanwhile, Phahlane says Ethemba Forensic Group, a company that received a tender to supply cameras for the SAPS, was a compromised choice.
Phahlane told the committee that the service provider which won the tender failed to meet the required bidding specifications.
WATCH | Former Acting National Police Commissioner Khomotso Phahlane says political interference has been prevalent in the SAPS, and it became more prevalant following the 2007 Polokwane conference. pic.twitter.com/T3iZrmdvwQ
— SABC News (@SABCNews) January 14, 2026
