Ramaphosa appoints General Fannie Masemola as SA’s new police commissioner

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced General Fannie Masemola as South Africa’s new national police commissioner.

Masemola replaces the outgoing General Khehla Sitole.

“In the conversations I’ve had with Masemola, he has assured me that he is up to the task, and he is determined to serve the people of South Africa. I am certain he will do us proud,” said Ramaphosa.

The 58-year-old Masemola is a former Deputy National Commissioner for Policing and served as Limpopo’s Provincial Police Commissioner.

ALSO READ: Last day in office: National Police Commissioner Sitole denies Ramaphosa fired him

Thursday was Sitole’s last day in office after reaching an agreement of mutual termination of contract with Ramaphosa.

This came after it was confirmed last October that Sitole was facing suspension, and had been invited to make a case to Ramaphosa against the move at the time.

‘Flawed process’

Civil rights organisation Action Society, however, had hoped there would be an open process in the search for a new commissioner.

“An external panel to vet candidates for the national commissioner replacement has been appointed and according to sources, consists of people from the private sector. Unfortunately, the whole process is too secretive. 

“There needs to be more transparency about the panel and the process followed in the appointing of a new national commissioner,” it said.

Action Society’s Ian Cameron said the organisation was of the view that “an external panel of policing experts should handle the restructuring of the entire police management according to merit and not political affiliation”.

“The same panel must do a skills audit of senior management, starting with deputy national commissioners, provincial commissioners, all their deputies and divisional commissioners within Saps [South African Police Services],” he said.

“If appointment was done due to political affiliation and not due to merit, the necessary remedial steps should be followed,” Cameron added.

Additional reporting by Molefe Seeletsa