Controversy surrounding the appointment of Major General Miriam Mochologi as the Overberg District Commissioner of Police has made headlines.
This comes after a TikTok video made by Ian Cameron of Action Society, in which he states Mochologi started her career in the South African Police Service in 2011 with the rank of brigadier despite only having a national diploma in public relations.
In the video Cameron goes on to question how Mochologi could have been appointed as the provincial head of Visible Policing in the Free State, despite not having firearm competency and experience as a police official at ground level.
The district commissioner’s meteoric rise in police ranks over a span of 10 years, is also questioned.
Mochologi has hit back, saying that she will not be distracted from her task of fighting crime by “baseless allegations and accusations”.
“For me to be appointed in a high-level position without meeting the requirements and criteria and following correct appointment processes in this highly disciplined organisation does not make sense,” she stated.
“I am here to fight crime and I request the community’s support.”
Provincial police spokesperson Brig Novella Potelwa said in a statement the videos made by Cameron are currently the subject of a criminal investigation launched after a case of crimen injuria was registered with Hermanus police on Friday 17 February.
She said: “The management of the police in the Western Cape has noted with concern videos featuring Ian Cameron with untested claims depicting a senior police manager as unfit or not deserving to have been recently appointed to the position of district commissioner of the Overberg District.
“The videos, inclusive of utterances made, are the subject of a criminal investigation. It would therefore be improper to give any form of comment on the matter, out of consideration for the processes that are unfolding.”
Whistleblowers and leaked documentsCameron told Hermanus Times he became aware of Mochologi’s alleged lack of qualifications through whistleblowers and leaked documents that reportedly show a number of courses Mochologi had not completed.
“She was appointed in the high rank of a brigadier when she started with the police in 2011,” Cameron pointed out.
“Then she went on to become provincial head of Visible Policing in the Free State without experience at ground level, before being promoted to the rank of major general and appointed district commissioner in the Overberg. How is that possible?
“What is worrying is that she did not do basic police training.”
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