Johannesburg – The office of the presidency has confirmed that President Cyril Ramaphosa informed the National Commissioner of Police, General Khehla Sitole of his intention to suspend him.
The President also invited Sitole to appeal the notice of suspension.
“The office of the presidency has confirmed that President Cyril Ramaphosa has, in terms of Section 8(3) of the Police Act, invited the National Commissioner of Police, General Khehla Sitole, to make representations on the president’s notice to suspend him” the presidency confirmed in a statement.
According to the presidency, Ramaphosa penned to Sitole on 20 September and conversant him that his suspension was in relation to “allegations of the failure by the commissioner to assist the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID)” in its investigations into the controversial grabber procurement.
“These allegations emerged publicly and became the subject of a finding by Judge Norman Davis in the Pretoria High Court,” the statement read.
The statement also confirmed that the president has considered it applicable to establish a board of inquiry into Sitole’s alleged misconduct as in terms of section 9 of the South African Police Services Act of 1995, together with Section 8 of the same Act, 68 of 1998.
“This is merited by the public interest in the integrity of the office of the National Commissioner.”
According to the statement, the president gave Sitole and the Commissioner 14 days in which to respond.
In response, the Commissioner has since proposed representations in this regard.
“While the president considers these representations, further engagement on this matter will be between the president and the national commissioner,” said the statement.
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