The Democratic Alliance (DA) said on Monday Major General Patrick Mbotho’s appointment as divisional commissioner for national priority offences at the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), otherwise known as the Hawks, is nothing less than an insult to the nation's commitment to building a “professional, competent and clean” law enforcement community.

The party called on Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to set aside his appointment.

Last week Mbotho was appointed to the position, with effective from October 1.

Mbotho was accused of posting graphic sexual content on a South African Police Service (Saps) detective command WhatsApp group from his official cellphone in 2017.

This is when he was the Western Cape Provincial Commissioner of Detectives.

DA police spokesperson Lisa Schickerling alleged that at that time, senior colleagues in the Saps – including the then-head of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit – had raised serious concerns about Mbotho’s professional conduct.

Schickerling said the DA would write to Mchunu requesting that he undertake a full investigation into the process taken in Mbotho’s appointment as well as the myriad allegations levelled against him.

The party will also request that the outcomes of such an investigation be presented to the Portfolio Committee for further interrogation.

She explained that an officer who had met with a known figure in the criminal underworld, who assailed fellow officers with explicit sexual material, and who left at least one appointment under a cloud of controversy could not be considered fit to serve in such a powerful role.

“Mbotho’s appointment stains our nation’s dedication to protecting women and children and the combatting of organised crime. His placement in such a critical position, considering these allegations, erodes public trust in our law enforcement agencies,” she said.

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police has written to Mchunu to review the appointment and promotion of Mbotho and have also asked the Minister to launch an inquiry into Mbotho’s fitness to hold office based on allegations that he had meetings with individuals suspected of gang activity and extortion in the Western Cape.

Meanwhile, Hawks head Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya has defended Mbotho’s appointment saying all correct appointment processes had been followed and that Mbotho had been through all the disciplinary procedures following the allegations.

Schickerling highlighted that despite the grave concerns, Lebeya staunchly defended Mbotho’s appointment, praising his years in service.

“…what Lebeya failed to address was how it could conceivably be acceptable to appoint an officer to senior status in the Hawks when his integrity is so seriously in question,” said Schickerling.