Crime boss denies claims of nepotism

THE newly appointed acting head of crime intelligence‚ Major-General Pat Mokushane‚ used his first appearance in parliament to defend himself against allegations of nepotism.

He and acting national police commissioner Lieutenant-General Lesetja Mothiba appeared before parliament’s police committee to detail their plans to restructure the police’s criminal intelligence unit.

But MPs wanted to know more about Mokushane’s past.

Shortly after Mokushane was appointed‚ reports surfaced that he did not have top-secret security clearance and that he had appointed his wife as his personal assistant.

ANC MP and committee chairman Francois Beukman quizzed Mokushane about the security clearance.

Mothiba said: “General Mokushane has assured me he has it‚ but I am still waiting for a copy of it.”

Asked how long it took to get a certificate‚ he said: “It doesn’t take a long time but General Mokushane has been very busy.”

But Beukman questioned how he had made a decision to appoint Mokushane without the correct paperwork already in the file.

Mothiba admitted this was something he should have done‚ but said he had been more concerned with Mokushane’s experience.

Mokushane, meanwhile, said reports that his wife had been appointed as his PA were untrue.

“My wife is not a PA. She has been with the crime intelligence head of- fice in the technical support unit for about four years. She is not in my office‚” he said.