By Johnathan Paoli
Deputy National Police Commissioner Tebello Mosikili has told Parliament that she is the subject of what she describes as a false perjury investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), an inquiry she says has unfairly sidelined her from key policing processes.
Appearing before Parliament’s ad-hoc committee on Tuesday afternoon, Mosikili said the IPID probe has directly affected her professional responsibilities.
“Till today, I don’t know where I perjured. IPID has never pointed out the inconsistencies. The persistent mention of it, without facts, makes me wonder if I should fight it. But it is what it is,” Mosikili said.
Mosikili said the allegations had been repeatedly raised in committee proceedings and had affected her professional standing.
“The comments that came through these processes last, I think was made even at the ad hoc committee by one of my colleagues, that I was facing serious investigation by IPID and it also came from the committee itself, ad hoc committee, I think twice, if I’m not mistaken, as I was following the proceedings, that I will not be involved in the development of the plans because I’m embroiled in the IPID matter,” she said.
She explained that she felt compelled to clarify what had led to the investigation.
“There were previously social media posts by one of the whistleblowers in this country, I think she also appeared before the committee, that I am rogue, number one, and that I have been implicated in a theft, whereas I have opened a case of theft where I was the victim at one of the macro stores in Centurion and subsequent to that, a property was taken from myself,” she added.
Mosikili said the theft occurred at a Makro store in Centurion, where her cellphone and other property were stolen.
After discovering the theft, she approached security staff and was advised to open a formal case; subsequently proceeding to Lyttleton police station to open the case.
During the reporting process, she said she was informed that a syndicate was operating in the area and that multiple women had been targeted.
However, she said the narrative shifted on social media, with allegations that she had not been robbed but was instead linked to the syndicate.
“So after that opening that case, then the stories that went into the social media was that I did not, or the stuff were not stolen from me because I was involved with this particular syndicate, so that is how it went on the social media,” she told the committee.
Mosikili recalled that the allegations escalated publicly, with the same material being sent to IPID for investigation.
Nearly a year later, she received a call from the watchdog.
“On the 8th of August 2025, I received a call from IPID that I’m under investigation, and I think it was after a year that the matter was, or at least eight months or nine, that the matter was on the social media space,” she said.
IPID officials met her at her office, where they presented to her that they are investigating her for perjury.
According to Mosikili, investigators produced three statements allegedly made by her, and without pointing out where the contradictions were, accused her of possibly committing perjury.
“And the indication when such was presented to me was that here are the statements that you have deposed in your docket, and I have never submitted three statements in my docket, but they presented three statements which I confirmed that I have knowledge of the three,” she said.
She told the committee that she has been excluded from participating in the development of certain police plans because of the pending investigation.
ANC MP Thokozile Sokanyile questioned Mosikili about IPID’s possession of what she described as a not yet finalised docket, pressing Mosikili on allegations that she had made three contradictory statements.
“It is IPID saying that and I did not submit three contradictory statements,” Mosikili replied.
EFF MP Leigh-Ann Mathys asked why IPID was investigating a perjury case linked to her robbery docket, whether perjury falls within IPID’s mandate, and what became of the original case file.
“So the theft case should have gone back to the relevant SAPS investigating officer?” Mathys asked.
“After engaging with them around September, the investigator did contact me, but asked me to assist as a witness on another similar case,” Mosikili replied.
She further claimed that amendments were made to a statement despite her not being present and not signing any changes.
The committee heard an application from its next expected witness, Abel Mafhoho, to provide testimony in written form due to difficulty articulating verbally following a recent stroke.
Proceedings are set to continue on Wednesday, with testimony expected from former prosecutor advocate Molatlhwa Mashuga, National Coloured Congress MP Fadiel Adams, and public participation witness Krishna Chetty.
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