South Africa has been elected to be one of 13 countries to be part of the executive committee of the International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol).
According to the Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi, the voting took place during Interpol’s General Assembly on 2 to 5 November in Kigali, Rwanda.
He said over 190 countries voted in favour of South Africa, making it the sole African country to be a member of the committee.
“SA delegation in the executive committee will be headed by Brigadier Anbuen Naidoo for the coming three years. He is also the head of Interpol’s National Central Bureau (NCB),” said Mulaudzi.
He said NCB, situated in Pretoria, has just been incorporated into Hawks and will report to the National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, Lieutenant General Mthandazo Ntlemeza.
The Minister of Police Nkosinathi Nhleko said SAPS will continue to play a leading role in international policing.
“The Hawks’ leading role will strengthen South Africa’s footprint in building criminal databases and cooperating with other international policing agencies on cross-border investigations, operations and arrests. We commit to using this position to promote the interests of the continent in the global fight against international organised crime,” said Nhleko.
The executive committee, which is made up of 13 members consisting of the president, three vice presidents and nine delegates representing the organisation’s four regions, namely Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe, hold its meeting three times a year to deliberate on organisational policy, guidance and direction.
The executive members are generally elected on a three-year mandate.
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