Tshwane Metro Police chief under scrutiny for alleged 'cash gift'
Image: Supplied/City of Tshwane
Tshwane Metro Police Department chief, Commissioner Yolande Faro, is embroiled in allegations that she failed to declare a substantial amount of cash as a gift from some wealthy individuals.
The allegations came to light during a July 31 council meeting at Tshwane House, where councillors discussed the matter behind closed doors due to the confidential nature of employer-employee disciplinary actions.
It is alleged that Faro and her team of senior officials were invited to a festival in Sun City Resort, North West province, in February, accompanied by their spouses.
They were allegedly given a huge amount of money estimated to be between R400,000 to R450,000 on their way back to Pretoria.
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The allegations have since been brought to the attention of the council, which has asked City Manager Johann Mettler to write a letter to Faro, allowing her seven to eight days to respond and explain why she should not face charges.
Hannes Coetzee, Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Safety, said the council was previously unaware of the allegations against Faro but stressed that the city takes corruption claims seriously.
'A report was presented to council in an in-committee meeting, and it was decided that the city manager would write a letter to that specific person. I think the city is currently awaiting a response, and then the report will be brought back to council. If necessary, based on the report, council will then ask for an external investigation,' he said.
Asked to clarify whether she received a cash gift, and if the funds were properly declared, Faro referred media questions to a municipal spokesperson.
Municipal spokesperson Lindela Mashigo confirmed that the city is currently undergoing 'internal review processes' regarding the matter of the trip.
'We are committed to ensuring full accountability and transparency and the appropriate internal mechanisms will follow due course. We appeal for the space to conclude this process responsibly and reiterate our commitment to ethical governance and upholding the integrity of the administration,' he said.
Faro, who was the former Nelson Mandela Bay metro police chief from 2016 to 2022, has also been accused of misrepresenting her qualifications at the time of her appointment two years ago.
A message circulating on WhatsApp claimed that allegations are serious and warrant thorough investigation to determine if it is true that she misrepresented her qualifications.
Mashigo said the city notes with concern the recent circulation of baseless allegations, many of which amount to unfounded rumour-mongering.
'We urge the public to exercise caution and responsibility when engaging with information that lacks a factual basis. In particular, the claims regarding the chief of police's qualifications are completely without merit. The city categorically dismisses these allegations and affirms that the appointment was made in compliance with competency requirements,' he said.
Faro's appointment was approved despite criticism from the EFF that she lacked experience to manage a department as big as the Tshwane metro police.
According to her curriculum vitae, she possesses a national police diploma, traffic national diploma, a bachelor of technology degree in policing and has vast experience in safety and security.
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za
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