A high-ranking police officer who sent pornographic videos to detectives and was seen in the company of a notorious Capetonian underworld figure has been appointed to head the Hawks in the North West.

On Tuesday, ANC activist Colin Arendse wrote a letter to Police Minister Bheki Cele to complain about Major General Patrick Mbotho’s appointment in the North West.

It was Arendse who complained that Mbotho – then deputy provincial commissioner of detectives in the Western Cape – sent two graphic sexual messages, apparently to an official group comprising several detective commanders in the province, from his official cellphone via WhatsApp on July 13 last year.

Mbotho said when he realised he had sent the messages; he wished he could have been swallowed into a hole, News24 reported at the time.

“Despite this heinous crime perpetrated by General Mbotho, I have since also been informed that he was appointed as the head of the Hawks in the North West today, 18 Dec. 2018 – despite him not having the requisite security clearance,” Arendse wrote in his letter, which was also distributed to the media.

“As a registered taxpayer, I demand that the appointment be reversed immediately and he be placed on administrative duties at head office in Pretoria until all outstanding matters and investigations against General Mbotho have been finalised.”

Hawks spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi confirmed that Mbotho would be heading to the North West.

He wasn’t sure when Mbotho would start or about the status of disciplinary proceedings against him. He said a formal announcement about the appointment had not yet been made.

In May last year, News24 reported that several sources said Mbotho had two meetings with underworld figure Nafiz Modack, who was said to be heading up a new faction taking over the control of club security from another faction.

Sources said these meetings had been about firearms and luxury cars, but Brigadier Novela Potelwa, speaking on Mbotho’s behalf at the time, denied this. She said Modack was in Mbotho’s office in connection with a complaint he had against the police.

“During the meeting, it transpired that the nature of complaint fell outside the jurisdiction of the SAPS Western Cape and he was subsequently referred to the office of the judge of [the Hawks],” she said.