Read: Police minister allegedly ignored shortlist of expert candidates for Hawks top job
Nathi Nhleko reportedly chose to ignore a list of five highly qualified candidates, choosing instead to appoint Mthandazo Ntlemeza as head of the Hawks’ priority crimes investigation unit.
So, despite being given a list of ace candidates for one of the most important jobs in South African law enforcement, the police minister decided to hire a relatively unknown candidate — who never even made the shortlist — under whose leadership the special investigations unit of the Hawks has limped from scandal to scandal.
Read: South Africa’s criminal cops: Is the rot far worse than we have been told?
City Press reports that, following the initial process of finding a candidate closed back in 2013, Nhleko readvertised the position for the head of the priority crimes investigation unit at the Hawks.
Two candidates who applied for the position told City Press that no explanation was given for the post being readvertised. The initial shortlist was the result of a process that started off with 22 candidates — of which Ntlemeza was one, but never made the cut –.
The list included:
- Major-General Oswald Reddy, a Harvard alum
- Major-General Liziwe Ntshinga
- Lieutenant-General Lebeoana Tsumane
- Major-General Jan Mabula, the former North West Hawks head
- Former Lieutenant-General Dr Godfrey Lebeya.
Read the full report in City Press.
