Durban: Today is National Police Commissioner General Khehla Sitole’s last day in office.
In February, Sithole agreed to an early termination of his contract with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Having been appointed in November 2017, Sithole has been plagued by controversies.
Following this announcement, President told the media, he was concerned about the spat between Police Minister Bheki Cele and Sitole, saying it did not “augur well” for the police and hampered police operations.
The President added: “I am grateful to General Sitole for the constructive discussions we have had over the termination of his position as national commissioner. I wish to convey my appreciation to General Sitole for his service to the nation over many years in the SAPS. I wish him the best in his future endeavours.”
According to the SAPS website, Sithole was born in Standerton, Mpumalanga, and matriculated from Makhosana High School in KwaNdebele in 1984.
He joined the SAPS as a student constable in 1986, and his initial deployment was to human resource development, where he was head of support services.
IOL explores 3 highlights from his tenure:
July Unrest:
His woes began shortly after July’s unrest in KZN and Gauteng that crippled the economy, resulting in a R50 billion loss and cost 350 lives.
Sithole was lambasted by Cele, who said that “he was nowhere to be seen” during the unrest.
According to report by IOL, while testifying at the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on the police’s apparent paralysis during the violence, Sithole told the panel that a lack of police resources contributed to the deadly July unrest.
He further revealed that crime intelligence had no information prior to the outbreak of the unrest. He also revealed that he gave KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi permission to go on paternity leave during the height of the civil unrest.
R45 million grabber:
In October 2021 Sithole was suspended, pending an inquiry to co-operate with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid).
This relates to the procurement of a R45 million grabber that was going to be used at the ANC’s conference in 2017 in Nasrec.
According to IOL reports, the electronic device, with the capability of intercepting phone calls and cellphone messages, cost R45 million (despite these retailing at between R7 million to R10 million) with the idea of influencing voting for the ruling party’s top leadership positions.
Judge Norman Davis in January 2021 ordered Sithole and two other SAPS senior officials to hand over several secret documents to the Ipid for the purpose of investigating suspected tender fraud and corruption within police ranks.
After failure to do so after three years, Ramaphosa had said he would set up a board of inquiry to investigate Sitole.
However Sithole told media: “I don’t have to tell you whether I should be suspended or not because I must tell the president. I will therefore reserve it on that part. Yes, I have submitted my representation to the president,” said Sitole.
Robert McBride:
In an interview with SABC, Sitole accused former Ipid boss Robert McBride of conspiring to get him fired.
He alleged that McBride had a sinister motive in getting him booted out of the position of police commissioner.
When asked about McBride’s motive he said: “’Seemingly he was one of those people lined up to become national commissioner, I’m not sure.”
In an in-conversation Sithole told the SABC that he was always destined to become a national commissioner.
“I never applied for promotion, I was called after the interview, to bring my CV, and through the power of anointment I convinced the panel about the wisdom I had about policing,” he said.
IOL