Not above the law

BERNING NTLEMEZA was adamant he would be reporting for duty today as head of the crime-busting Hawks – even though he was effectively fired by the Pretoria High Court last week.

He had applied for leave to take a decision by the same court a month ago – that he was unfit to hold office – on review.

Indeed, the court went further than that, describing his appointment to the top position at the Directorate of Priority Crimes as “irrational and unlawful”.

Ntlemeza suffered a double blow when new Minister of Police Fikile Mbalula announced last week that his ministry would not be appealing against the original decision by the Pretoria High Court that Ntlemeza should never have been appointed in the first place – and then a full Bench ruled out his bid to take the decision on review and ordered he vacate his office immediately.

Ntlemeza though, reportedly, believes only Parliament can remove him from his post. It appears to be an act of stunning hubris – as ill-fated as Icarus’s bid to fly to the sun.

He could well discover the cost of that arrogance later today when Mbalula digs in his heels.

The new police minister, typical of his previous appointment to the cabinet as the minister of Sport and Recreation, has shown himself to be an absolute bundle of energy – but also a person who sticks to his guns.

Today, if Ntlemeza attempts a showdown, he will find out the hard way that a police officer is supposed to uphold the law – not hold himself above the law.