General Puleng Dimpane during a session of the parliamentary portfolio committee on police on Wednesday. (Photo: Screengrab)
“Policing cannot succeed without public trust.”
That’s how gen. Puleng Dimpane, new acting police commissioner, said this during a session of the parliamentary portfolio committee on police in Cape Town on Wednesday – her first public speaking turn as acting head of the police.
Dimpane was still serving as divisional commissioner for financial management services at the police last week. However, she is now acting police commissioner after gen. Fannie Masemola is suspended pending an investigation.
The minister of police, the national police commissioner and a deputy national police commissioner have now all been suspended or placed on leave due to alleged irregularities within the SAPS’s senior management.
“I want to assure the nation that now that we have an acting minister and acting commissioner, we are fully aligned,” Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said jokingly in Parliament on Wednesday morning.
However, the minister then emphasized in all seriousness that he had full confidence in Dimpane as acting police chief.
“I am extremely happy that we were able to appoint someone who is a professional, independent manager of the SAPS,” said Cachalia. “She is the right person at the right time and I hope she will show that in the coming months.”
Minister Firoz Cachalia during a session of the parliamentary portfolio committee on police on Wednesday. (Photo: Screengrab)
On Wednesday, Dimpane was tasked with presenting the police’s 2026/2027 budget, annual performance plan and strategic plan to the portfolio committee.
“The plans we are presenting here today, chairman, are not mere compliance instruments,” said Dimpane.
She believes the proposed plans are realistic and measurable.
“These plans are a reflection of our commitment to delivering a professional, capable and accountable police service that responds effectively to the needs of all who live in this country.
“Our commitment is clear: To act decisively against wrongdoing within our ranks and to recognize that many dedicated men and women serve with integrity.
“This reflects a police service that is determined to restore stability, improve performance and ultimately ensure that the people of South Africa feel safe in their homes, communities and workplaces.”
“We are equally focused on rebuilding our internal systems to ensure that every rand that South Africans entrust to the police delivers maximum value to the communities we serve.
“This budget forces us to do more with limited resources.”
According to Dimpane, all resources will be devoted to frontline policing. Capacity will also be added to specialized units and investments will be made in technology.
“As we appear before this committee today, chairman, we are committed to transparency and accountability, and we welcome all the robust commitments that will strengthen our collective efforts to rebuild this organization.”
Historic moment?
Ian Cameron, chairman of the portfolio committee on police, said on Wednesday morning that “it feels like a historic moment to have everyone from the committee back” after members of this committee were involved in the Madlanga commission of inquiry and ad hoc committee for months.
“It’s been quite a tumultuous few months,” Cameron admitted.
The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has been tasked with investigating the damning allegations that Lt. Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, KwaZulu-Natal’s provincial police commissioner, raised at a media conference last year.
The ad hoc committee had to investigate Mkhwanazi’s allegations separately from the Madlanga Commission to report back to the NA with recommendations to strengthen the country’s institutions to prevent further abuse.
Ian Cameron during a session of the parliamentary portfolio committee on police on Wednesday. (Photo: Screengrab)