SAPU watching Sitole's appointment closely

6 December 2017

The South African Policing Union is closely monitoring the senior management appointments that newly appointed national commissioner Lt-Gen. Khehla Sitole will make. We hope Gen. Sitole will consider service delivery not political loyalty when making such appointments.

The SAPS has not been performing well in the recent past because it has been captured for political ends. It is now up to Gen. Sitole to correct all the costly mistakes of the past. He has an opportunity to bring back glory days to the police. We will closely watch whom will he appoint as the deputy national commissioners, whom will he appoint as the divisional commissioner of crime intelligence and other vital important divisions within the police.

It would be a lost opportunity if he rewards political allies who are professionally incompetent to do the job. We welcomed his appointment mostly because as a career cop we are of the view he knows what is wrong with the police and obviously he should know how to fix it. His appointments will give an indication whether the SAPS will succeed or fail in its mandate to combat crime in South Africa. A professional policing is a must if we are to win back the confidence of our people and members. Policing do not need any kind of politics. The SAPS management might come with promising slogans like back-to-basics etc., however if they still consider political influence, we will never go forward.

Issued by Oscar Skommere, General Secretary, SAPU, 6 December 2017