General
Khehla John Sitole
SOE
National Commissioner of the South African Police Service
In office
22 November 2017 – 31 March 2022[1][a]
PresidentCyril Ramaphosa
Preceded byLt General Lesetja Mothiba
Succeeded byLt General Sehlahle Fannie Masemola
Personal details
Political partyAfrican National Congress
Police career
DepartmentSouth African Police Service
Department of Police (South Africa)
Service years1986 – 2022
RankGeneral
Commissioner
AwardsSouth African Police Star for Outstanding Service SOE South African Police Medal for Faithful Service ' South African Police Service Ten Year Commemoration Medal ' South African Police Service Twenty Year Loyal Service Medal ' South African Police Service World Cup 2010 Support Award ' South African Police Service Amalgamation Medal ' Centenary Medal - South African Police Service '[2]

General Khehla John Sitole SOE was National Commissioner of the South African Police Service from 2017 to 2022 when he left the post after consultation with the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa.

Early life

He was born in Standerton, Mpumalanga and matriculated in 1984 from the Makhosana High School in Kwandebele.

Career

In 1996, General Sitole was appointed as a senior manager with the rank of Director and in 2000 was appointed as an Assistant Commissioner in Mpumalanga. In 2006, he was appointed as the Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Human Resource Management in the Northern Cape and in 2010 General Sitole was appointed as the Deputy Provincial Commissioner for Human Resource Management in the Free State.[2]

From 2011 to 2013, General Sitole served as the Provincial Commissioner of the Free State with the rank of Lieutenant General and on the 1st October 2013 he was appointed as the Deputy National Commissioner, Policing.[2]

On 1 March 2016, he was appointed as the Divisional Commissioner of Protection and Security Services, a post he held until 22 November 2017 when he was appointed by former South African president JG Zuma, as the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service.[3][4][2]

He was embroiled in controversy almost from the beginning of his appointment.[5] Sitole ultimately vacated the position after a scathing judgment handed down on 13 January 2021 by Judge Norman Davis in the Gauteng High Court.[6][2]

Awards

He has received the following decorations:

Preceded byUnknown Asst Commissioner: Mpumalanga Province[4] 2000–2006 Succeeded byUnknown Preceded byUnknown Asst Commissioner: Northern Cape[4] 2006–2010 Succeeded byUnknown Preceded byUnknown Asst Commissioner: Free State Province[4] 2010–2011 Succeeded byUnknown Preceded byUnknown Provincial Commissioner: Free State Province (Lieutenant General)[4] 2011–2013 Succeeded byUnknown Preceded byUnknown Deputy National Commissioner: Policing[4] 2013–2016 Succeeded byUnknown Preceded byUnknown Divisional Commissioner: Protection and Security Services[4] 2016–22 November 2017 Succeeded byUnknown Preceded byLt General Lesetja Mothiba National Commissioner of the South African Police Service[4] 22 November 2017–31 March 2022 Succeeded byLt General Sehlahle Fannie Masemola

Notes

  1. ^ Term ended by mutual agreement between him and the president
  2. ^ Celebrating 100 years of policing 1913–2013

References

  1. ^ "CURRICULUM VITAE OF GENERAL KJ SITOLE" (PDF). SAPS. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Thamm, Marianne (11 April 2021). "DM168 Analysis: Grabbed: Who is top cop Khehla Sitole and will he hold on to his job?". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  3. ^ "President Jacob Zuma appoints General Khehla John Sitole as the new National Police Commissioner". SAnews. 23 November 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h South African Government. "President Jacob Zuma appoints General Khehla John Sitole as Police Commissioner". www.gov.za. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  5. ^ Essop, Rahima. "New police commissioner grilled over dubious procurement contracts". Eyewitness News. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  6. ^ Thamm, Marianne (25 February 2022). "SAPS IN CRISIS: Police Commissioner Khehla Sitole bows out after mutual agreement and 'in the best interests of the country'". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
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