Nhleko to appeal today against General Ntlemeza judgment

POLICE Minister Nkosinathi Nhleko will appeal against the judgment of the North Gauteng High Court which set aside the appointment of the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation head General Berning Ntlemeza.

Nhleko’s spokesperson Sandile Ngidi said the minister would file court papers today.

“The appeal process will effectively suspend the current court order and will allow General Ntlemeza to stay in his job until the matter is heard and adjudicated as per the appeal,” Ngidi said.

The appeal comes after the North Gauteng High Court on Friday ruled Ntlemeza’s appointment as the head of the elite unit, popularly known as the Hawks, as irrational and unlawful.

The application was brought by the Helen Suzman Foundation and Freedom Under Law after another court indicated that Ntlemeza was not a fit and proper candidate for the high position of national head of the Hawks.

“These judgments are replete with the findings of dishonesty and mala fides against Major-General Ntlemeza. These were judicial pronouncements,” the judgment by the High Court said.

“They therefore constitute direct evidence that Major-General Ntlemeza lacks the requisite honesty, integrity and conscientiousness to occupy the position of any public office.”

Ntlemeza was appointed by Nhleko in September 2015.

Freedom Under Law chairperson Johann Kriegler said Nhleko was entitled to appeal against the court’s judgment.

“We are confident that we will succeed at the next court. It is a pity that General Ntlemeza will stay a little while longer,” Kriegler said.

The Suzman Foundation’s Anton van Dalsen said they would wait for Nhleko to lodge his appeal formally.

“We are not going to comment until we have confirmation,” Van Dalsen said.

The decision to appeal against the court ruling flies in the face of ANC’s hopes to have the matter closed.

“This judgment follows an admission made by Minister of Police Comrade Nathi Nhleko to Parliament last year that an error had been made in the procedure to appoint General Ntlemeza,” ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said on Friday.

“The ANC trusts therefore that today’s judgment brings this matter to finality,” he said.

Kodwa, however, could not be reached for comment on the issue yesterday.