Johannesburg - The Hawks’ newly appointed boss, Berning Ntlemeza, must show he is able to act independently and not bow to political pressure.
This is according to Institute for Security Studies managing director Anton du Plessis, who said Ntlemeza had “a huge task” – to restore public confidence as well as bring stability to the specialised unit, which has recently been marred by several controversies.
Du Plessis referred to the rendition saga – when several Zimbabwean nationals were unlawfully sent back to their home country – saying it was important for Ntlemeza to show he will not buckle under “political pressure”.
Ntlemeza fired former Gauteng Hawks boss Shadrack Sibiya from the unit after Mxolisi Zondo, presiding officer of the disciplinary hearing against him, found that he had failed to prevent the unlawful rendition of the Zimbabweans.
“We don’t know what really happened in the rendition case,” Du Plessis said.
He added decisions were sometimes not passed, not because of the merits of the case but because of political pressures.
He said the Hawks was a specialised unit and its effectiveness was important.
Ntlemeza has been acting as head of the Hawks since December after Anwa Dramat was suspended for his role in the illegal rendition of the Zimbabweans. Although Dramat successfully challenged his suspension in court, he resigned this year after a settlement agreement was reached.
Announcing Ntlemeza’s appointment this week, Police Minister Nathi Nhleko said among the five candidates interviewed for the job, he had emerged as the best one.
Kwazulu-Natal Hawks boss Major-General Johan Booysens was among the candidates who were interviewed for the position.
Reacting to Ntlemeza’s appointment this week, DA shadow minister Dianne Kohler Barnard said: “This is a man whose very appointment and conduct as acting Hawks head was severely indicted by the North Gauteng High Court as being ‘biased (and) dishonest’.”
High Court Judge Elias Matojane described Ntlemeza as biased and dishonest in January in a legal battle over Sibiya’s suspension.
The other candidates for the top Hawks job were Major-General Yoliswa Siyotula from the Eastern Cape, Ntebo Mabula from the North West Province and Tebello Mosiki, a cluster commander in Gauteng.
In July, Ntlemeza wrote a memorandum to the interviewing panel assuring them he was “a fit and proper person” to hold the position as head of the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks).
In the memorandum, Ntlemeza said he was aware that one of the requirements for the appointment to the specialised unit was that the incumbent must indeed be a fit and proper person.
Judge Matojane accused Ntlemeza of withholding an Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) report that exonerated Sibiya.
Ntlemeza wrote: “I have since been vindicated because the Minister (Nhleko) appointed Werksmans Attorneys to investigate the conflicting reports.”
Werksmans concluded that there is only one legitimate Ipid report of January 2014.
Werksmans also concluded that Sibiya, Dramat and other officers should be criminally charged and that disciplinary proceedings be brought against them.
Ntlemeza said the law firm’s probe found that Ipid’s suspended boss, Robert McBride, had tampered with the report in order to protect Dramat and Sibiya.
Ntlemeza said that Sibiya had gone through the disciplinary inquiry.
He said these developments were a vindication of him, had shown that he had no “personal vendetta against Sibiya” and that he was doing his job as required in terms of the SAPS Act.
He added that his legal team told him that during the disciplinary inquiry Sibiya did not make a single allegation against him – and had never suggested he was acting with ulterior motives in disciplining him.
Ntlemeza, who hails from the Eastern Cape, joined SAPS in the then Transkei in 1981.
He is a career officer who has been a member of the force, holding many ranks, for the past 34 years.
He has also served as a deputy provincial commissioner for the Eastern Cape and Limpopo.
Ntlemeza holds a BA in Police Science and a B Juris and is presently studying towards an LLB with Unisa.
The Sunday Independent