President Cyril Ramaphosa Axes Top Cop Khehla Sitole As Police Commissioner, SA Calls for Bheki Cele's Head

• General Khehla Sitole has been fired as the national police commissioner following a "mutual agreement" with President Cyril Ramaphosa
• The Presidency released a statement citing Ramaphosa and Sitole agreed that the early termination from his post was in South Africa's best interest
• Sitole has also been in disagreement with Police Minister Bheki Cele for some time, with tensions between the two boiling over amind July's unrest

TSHWANE - South Africa no longer has General Khehla Sitole as its national police commissioner following President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to fire the embattled top cop on Friday afternoon.

According to a statement released by the Presidency, Ramaphosa removed Sitole from his position as the head of the South African Police Service (SAPS) by mutual agreement effective from 31 March.

TimesLIVE reported Ramaphosa and Sitole both conceded the early termination served the best interest of the country. The report further claimed the timing of the former's departure would provide ample opportunity for a reasonable handover of tasks to senior SAPS officials.

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"I'm appreciative to [Sitole] for the amicable way in which his termination as the national police commissioner was handled. He has my gratitude for the service he gave to the nation over his long years in the force," read the statement quoting Ramaphosa.

Sitole has been in the firing line

The Presidency said an announcement on the incumbent for the top job will be made in due course. Sitole is the latest in a long list of executive-ranking cops whose control of the police service was cut short of a full term in the role.

Mail&Gaurdian reported that last year, Ramaphosa addressed a letter to Sitole in which he called on him to justify why he shouldn't be suspended. The reasons for Sitole's then-suspension related to his alleged failure to assist the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid).

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Sitole has also been in disagreement with the Minister of Police Bheki Cele, considered as one of Ramaphosa's most devoted lieutenants in the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

Tensions between the two came to a head during the July unrest last year, which resulted in more than 340 people being killed amid widespread public violence and looting in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

Locals express polarising views

South Africans were vocal about Sitole's axing, taking to the timeline to question the move, while also calling for the same treatment for Cele. Briefly News takes a look at several fiery comments below.

@Mlindi Madevu wrote:

"Cele should have been removed as a General and restored as a politician because even the new Commissioner will never work freely since there will be another self-appointed General B Cele."

@Nay'shan Joseph's said:

"This is a wrong removal, Sithole is a police officer he knows what to do and not what to do yet a politician isn't an officer and is in charge of the police. How do you get in a fight of guns with a stick?"

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@Thuso Joel added:

"Remove Bheki Cele as well, they both failed the country."

Cele insists he was kept out of July unrest briefings

Elsewhere, Briefly News recently reported that Cele has told the SA Human Rights Commission hearings into the July unrest that he was kept out of intelligence briefings ahead of last year's chaotic scenes.

Cele resumed his testimony at the commission on Monday, 21 January, having first testified in December. According to News24, Cele claimed he last received briefings before Crime Intelligence head Lieutenant General Peter Jacobs was served with a suspension notice in November 2020.

Jacobs was among six senior officials suspended after an initial report into alleged personal protective equipment (PPE) procurement showed glaring irregularities in the use of the Secret Service Agency (SSA) account.

Source: Briefly News