Western Cape SAPS boss moved in wake of army deployment

The national commissioner of the SA Police Service, General Khehla John Sitole, has announced top personnel appointments in the police with effect from 1 August.

In a statement, the police said Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Elvis Jula, 55, would be taking up the post of provincial commissioner for KwaZulu-Natal, being shifted from the troubled Western Cape.

“He has more than 30 years of service, having enlisted as a student constable in Durban. He rose through the ranks to the level of lieutenant general in 2016 when he was appointed as provincial commissioner of the Western Cape, where he has been serving to date.”

Sithole said the police’s national head office would also see the return of Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Sibusiso Mkhwanazi as Divisional Commissioner: Operational Response Services (ORS), also effective from 1 August.

“Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi joined the South African Police Service as a student constable in 1993. He rose through the ranks to Lieutenant General in 2011.”

The statement explained that the now vacant position of Western Cape commissioner would be temporarily filled by Lieutenant General Sindile Mfazi, the current Deputy National Commissioner of Management Advisory Services.

“Lieutenant General Mfazi’s appointment forms part of the National Stabilisation Intervention currently being implemented in the Western Cape.”

The army was deployed to the Cape Flats earlier this month to fight high levels of gangsterism and murder.

“The SAPS management is confident that the appointment of Lieutenant General Mfazi into this acting position will add value to the intervention programme while the process of appointing a permanent provincial commissioner is unfolding.

The process to appoint a permanent provincial commissioner would commence on 1 August and wad expected to be completed by the end of the same month.

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