Ramaphosa appoints Masemola as new commissioner

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed a seasoned police officer, Lieutenant-General Sehlahle Fannie Masemola as the new national police commissioner following the axing of Khehla Sitole.

He officially stepped down as national commissioner yesterday, following a mutual agreement he reached with Ramaphosa after his involvement in a fierce battle with Police Minister Bheki Cele.

The mutual agreement was also attributed to a series of adverse court judgments against Sitole, especially on the illegal procurement of “grabbers” before the ANC’s national conference in December 2017. While Sitole was at the helm, Masemola was his deputy.

Announcing his decision to appoint Masemola, Ramaphosa said: “Following my announcement on February 25, 2020, of General Sitole’s departure, I initiated a process for the appointment of a new national commissioner of police.

“I did so in line with the powers entrusted to me by Section 207 of our Constitution, which direct the president to appoint a national commissioner. The national commissioner is appointed at the level of director-general in our administration.

“I appointed a selection panel to advise me on the appointment of a suitable person to lead the SAPS comprising:

• Professor Sydney Mufamadi as

chairperson.

• Minister of Basic Education Angie

Motshekga.

• Minister of Police General Bheki

Cele.

• Retired former commissioner of

police Mr George Fivaz.

• Director-General in the Presidency

Ms Phindile Baleni.

• Director-General of the National

Treasury, Mr Dondo Mogajane.

• Director-General of State Security,

Ambassador Thembisile Majola,” Ramaphosa said.

He added the selection panel was convened to draft a short-list of candidates who would be considered for the vacant post of national commissioner of police. Twenty-four possible candidates – all of whom currently serv as lieutenants-general or higher – were invited to apply.

Five short-listed candidates were interviewed, focusing on the following critical competencies:

• Strategic capability and

leadership.

• Programme and project

management.

• Financial management.

• People management.

• Community confidence level.

• Change management.

• Problem solving and analysis.

• Integrity.

Ramaphosa said in addition to evaluating candidates on the basis of these competencies, the advisory panel assessed candidates within the broader societal, strategic, operational and reputational context of the SAPS.

He said the panel was guided in part by the decisive role the police service played in respect of nationbuilding and the ongoing national efforts to strengthen democracy and entrench the rule of law.

“The panel also noted the need to bring the police closer to the communities they serve, and to rebuild the trust relationship. The selection process produced a select group of candidates who, I can assure South Africans, were equal in their commitment to making South Africa a safer place.

“I thank the advisory panel for its application to this process, and I welcome recommendations they have made on the SAPS of the future; recommendations on which we will reflect in Cabinet and in the justice, crime prevention and security cluster,” Ramaphosa said.

He said General Masemola has been a deputy police commissioner with an outstanding record of achievements in policing across South Africa, which included helping with the de-escalation of violence in KwaZulu-Natal after the first democratic elections in 1994. “General Masemola also brings to this position his experience in drastically reducing cash-in-transit crimes. He played a leading role in co-ordinating security for all elections since, and including, 1994.

“He led the securing of major national and international events in our country, including UN Summits, Climate Conferences and the 2010 Fifa World Cup