Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane is a senior South African police officer and financial-management specialist who has held several high-ranking positions within the South African Police Service (SAPS). Although she is sometimes referred to as “Major General Puleng Dimpane” in older reports, she was promoted to Lieutenant General in 2018.
Who is Puleng Dimpane?
Dimpane built her career around financial management, internal auditing, administration and policing leadership. She joined SAPS in 2007, initially serving as a senior superintendent (colonel) and provincial commander responsible for internal audit. She subsequently became Provincial Head of Financial and Administration Services.
She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) degree and an Honours degree in Business Administration. Her professional background in finance and auditing has been a defining feature of her career in SAPS.
Career Timeline
2007 — Joined SAPS
Dimpane joined the South African Police Service as a Senior Superintendent (Colonel), Provincial Commander: Internal Audit. Her early career therefore focused heavily on financial oversight and auditing rather than conventional frontline policing.
2007–2013 — Provincial Head: Financial and Administration Services
She subsequently served for approximately six years as Provincial Head of Financial and Administration Services, gaining extensive experience managing financial and administrative operations within SAPS.
2013–2018 — Major General, Deputy Provincial Commissioner: Asset Management
Dimpane was promoted to Major General and became Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Asset Management in the Free State. This position placed her in charge of important financial and asset-management responsibilities within the province.
2018 — Appointed SAPS Chief Financial Officer
In December 2018, then National Commissioner General Khehla John Sitole appointed Dimpane as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of SAPS. She was simultaneously promoted from Major General to Lieutenant General.
Her appointment was particularly significant because the SAPS manages a very large national workforce and substantial public budget.
Acting National Police Commissioner
Dimpane’s profile rose considerably in April 2026 when President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed her Acting National Commissioner of SAPS following the precautionary suspension of National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola. Parliament confirmed the appointment in a statement issued on 23 April 2026.
As of July 2026, official SAPS material continued to identify her as Acting National Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane. SAPS records show her delivering official addresses and overseeing senior appointments in that capacity.
Education
Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)
Honours Degree in Business Administration
Her academic background complements her professional specialization in finance, auditing, administration and public-sector management.
Key Career Positions
Senior Superintendent/Colonel — Provincial Commander, Internal Audit, SAPS
Provincial Head — Financial and Administration Services
Major General — Deputy Provincial Commissioner: Asset Management, Free State
Lieutenant General — Chief Financial Officer, SAPS
Lieutenant General — Acting National Commissioner of SAPS in 2026
Why Puleng Dimpane Is Important
Dimpane’s career is notable because she rose to the top levels of South African policing through a financial and administrative management background. Rather than following a career focused primarily on detective or operational policing, she developed expertise in internal auditing, public finance, asset management and organisational administration before reaching national command.
Her appointment as acting National Police Commissioner in 2026 consequently put a finance specialist in charge of one of South Africa’s largest public institutions during a period of significant scrutiny and pressure on SAPS.