Berning Ntlemeza must vacate position immediately

12 April 2017

The DA welcomes the decision today by the North Gauteng High Court to deny Hawks Head Berning Ntlemeza leave to appeal, and to order that the judgment setting aside Ntlemeza’s appointment should have immediate effect.

We have long called for his removal from the position of National Hawks Head on account of his unsuitability to hold this office and procedurally flawed appointment.

Berning Ntlemeza must respect this court ruling, and vacate his office immediately.

While we also welcome the decision by new Police Minister, Fikile Mbalula, to withdraw the departments’ appeal, the fact is that Ntlemeza has served his political purpose, which the DA believes was to target the former Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan.

This politicisation of the Hawks, which has been facilitated by the ANC, and the previous ministers of the portfolio, cannot be allowed to continue.

The new Minister must now publicly commit to ensuring that the Hawks will be an independent organised crime-fighting unit, with the new head being a person of integrity, who will always put the best interests of South Africa first. We urge him to take speedy action to expedite Ntlemeza's removal from office and his replacement by a fit-for-purpose individual who can restore confidence in, and integrity to, the Hawks leadership.

The time for Zuma lackeys being placed in positions of power must come to an end.

South Africans deserve crime-fighting leadership that will not be bogged down by political games and it is now up to Mbalula to show he will take his new responsibility seriously.

Issued by Zakhele Mbhele, DA Shadow Minister of Police, 12 April 2017