Pilane transferred to BDF
Oarabile Mosikare | Monday June 30, 2025 06:00
Pilane was supposed to report for duty at his new workstation early this week (now on leave) after the Deputy Permanent Secretary to the President (DPSP), Matshidiso Bokole, served him with a transfer letter last week. Pilane has been at loggerheads with the PSP Emmah Peloetletse after the latter's intention to transfer him to the Ministry of Higher Education.
He resisted the transfer and delivered a devastating response against the move by Peloetletse whom he branded a 'criminal suspect'.
After the latest manouvres to redeploy Pilane to the army, he is working around the clock with his attorneys to interdict the transfer and sue for expectations of promotion as had been recommended for the positions of Assistant Director-General (operations).
It has been reported that after he was transferred to the Ministry of Higher Education he wrote a letter to Peloetletse, saying in his transfer, the PSP, is conflicted as she is his criminal suspect.
'It cannot be justifiable under any condition for a suspect to transfer an investigation officer,' Pilane wrote on May 22, 2025.
He said it amounts to brazen conflict and breach of ethics. 'I accordingly humbly ask that you reconsider your stance in lieu therefore I will have no choice but to subject your decision to judicial review.'
He said the transfer is clearly not in the best interest of the civil service but in the interest of the suspects he mentioned in general, Peloetletse and Directorate on Intelligence and Security (DIS) head, Peter Magosi in particular.
'It is therefore, arbitrary, unprocedural, unlawful and unreasonable.'
In the end, he asked Peloetletse not to act on her intention and to allow him to serve his country without fear and favour. He said the transfer removes him from the law enforcement space which it is his ‘chosen career field’.
Pilane said it would be recalled that he was recruited from the army and all his professional life has been in the enforcement space.
He said the move will have an effect of frustrating him out of the civil service.
'The transfer is punitive. It comes in the aftermath of my enquiries to how my candidacy for the post of Deputy Director-General (operations) was conducted.
'I was adjudged competent for the post, a matter confirmed by the Director-General (DCEC) in writing,' Pilane said.
He added that he was subsequently advised that he was outcompeted by an external person for a post that was not externally advertised. He said it is clearly his enquiries in that regard which he had expressed in several letters that have precipitated his transfer.
'The transfer is actuated by ulterior motives. It is a move to flush me out of the civil service for doing my work without fear or favour,' he wrote.
Pilane said it is noteworthy that in 2022, during his acting appointment, he started investigating cases involving amongst others prominent persons such as Peloetletse, DIS Director General, Magosi, Water Utilities Corporation (WUC) chief executive officer Gasennelwe Senai, former Minister of Lands Dr Kefentse Mzwinila and Botho Seboko, a close friend of Magosi.
'I mentioned the above cases for context. They regarded possible corruption by persons mentioned. I completed investigations and dutifully handed over the files to my superior the Director-General (DCEC), Botlhale Makgekgenene.
'To date the Director-General has suppressed the files and not acted on the same. After handling the same to her word leaked to Director-General Peter Magosi that I was investigating him resulting in death threats to me which I duly reported,' Pilane said.
Though he would not share much, Pilane confirmed that he had indeed been transferred to the BDF.
Peloetletse has in the past refused to comment on the debacle, stating that she couldn’t discuss employee–employer relations.