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.
Khehla John Sitole | |
|---|---|
| National Commissioner of the South African Police Service | |
| In office 22 November 2017 – 31 March 2022[1][a] | |
| President | Cyril Ramaphosa |
| Preceded by | Lt General Lesetja Mothiba |
| Succeeded by | Lt General Sehlahle Fannie Masemola |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | African National Congress |
| Police career | |
| Department | South African Police Service South African Police |
| Service years | 1986 – 2022 |
| Rank | General Commissioner |
| Awards |       [2] |
Early life
editHe was born in Standerton, Mpumalanga and matriculated in 1984 from the Makhosana High School in Kwandebele.
Career
editSitole joined the South African Police under the then-Apartheid government in 1986 as a Constable, initially part of the Armed Police in Orange Free State. He then served as a Detective in Johannesburg. In 1989, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant under a special programme and served in the Anti-Burglary Section of Johanesburg Police. From 1992 to 1995, he was a part of several Police Station forces in the Northern Province and Pretoria. In 1996, General Sitole was appointed as a senior manager with the rank of Captain 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
editHe has received the following decorations:
South African Police Star for Outstanding Service (SOE) [2]
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 [b]
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ "CURRICULUM VITAE OF GENERAL KJ SITOLE" (PDF). SAPS. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "President Jacob Zuma appoints General Khehla John Sitole as the new National Police Commissioner". SAnews. 23 November 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Essop, Rahima. "New police commissioner grilled over dubious procurement contracts". Eyewitness News. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ 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.