Prodigal Son

Meet South Africa’s new acting National Police Commissioner, Lt. Gen. Puleng Dimpane. She is the Chief Financial Officer and Divisional Commissioner for Financial Management Services in the South African Police Service, a position she has held since 2018. She has recently testified on SAPS expenditure, including the reported high costs associated with task teams such as the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), where figures of around R435 million were discussed. In her testimony, she denied personal involvement in tender processes linked to these expenditures. Key Roles and Background of Lt Gen Puleng Dimpane: •Role: As CFO, she oversees financial management services for SAPS. •Testimony & Findings: In November 2025, she testified that her role focuses on financial oversight rather than approving operational, day-to-day procurement or specific contract awards. •Irregular Expenditure: She raised concerns regarding a lack of accountability for irregular spending in SAPS and supported forensic investigations into procurement, specifically citing a R360m contract with Medicare24. •Task Team Costs: Dimpane disclosed that the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) cost taxpayers R435m since 2018, defending the expenditure as necessary, while also noting that temporary unit costs are higher than standard operations. •Conflict: She expressed shock that an internal note she authored was used to justify the disbanding of the PKTT, stating her notes were taken out of context. •Experience: Before becoming CFO, she served as the Provincial Head for Financial and Administration Services in the Free State.