02 December 2017

For a long period the position of Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection. The National Commissioner General Sitole days into his post decided to fill this strategic vacancy following Minister Mbalula’s priority plan for the SAPS department.

"I welcome the appointment of Lieutenant General LJ Tsumane as Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection – I have long called for this very important vacancy to be filled so that our new thrust of having a crime intelligence led approach to fighting crime can be realized"; says Mbalula.

"The strategic importance of having Lt.Gen. Tsumane occupy this post with immediate effect means Divisions that are currently giving us various challenges like Forensic Service, Crime Intelligence and Detectives are going to have a leader with the ability to manage police at the highest levels of management", Mbalula added.

Lt. Gen. Tsumane was Free State Province Provincial Commissioner before his appointment and under him the levels of serious crime went down or stabilized. Lt. Gen. Tsumane started his career as a successful detective and the environment is not new to him.

Minister Mbalula also welcomes the appointment of Lieutenant General FN Vuma as a new Deputy National Commissioner for Management Advisory Services. The position is akin to a Chief Operations Officer for the department.

Management Advisory Services is a critical post in the management of SAPS and responds directly to the PFMA Act and shall bode well for the changes afoot towards getting SAPS management up to the task and addressing the issues raised by the Auditor General for the year 2016/2017.

"I am sure the public is aware of my call to professionalize the police and get it back to clean audit outcomes in the short term, without an incumbent of COO we are unlikely to get where my vision is focussed, General Vuma has for years shown to be an effective leader and an all-rounder with a depth of knowledge of SAPS – because she is a female, this appointment must also be seen as a key issue of women empowerment", Minister Mbalula said.

"There are drastic positive changes I have asked General Sitole to prioritize which include regionalization of specific provinces like Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape – I want these regionalized in terms of top management wherein we will de-escalate resources down to the people on the ground – regionalization will imply a province would be cut into strategic pieces and each of these be led by a Lieutenant General which will trim head office costs and rationalize human resources" , said Mbalula.
The Minister wishes that focus must be on crime hotspots and crime weighing areas. In this strategy, the Minister believes there shall be drastic crime levels reduction. The Minister has also instructed General Sitole to do all he can to attend to the SAPS members morale and unite the Service to serve South Africans better.

Next week Minister Mbalula and General Sitole will be launching a campaign against drinking and driving and festive season opportunity crimes.

Abuse of alcohol is a heavy contributor on the country's crime rates. Illegal weapons (guns) and abuse of illicit drugs are the three most present drivers of crime. To this end President Jacob Zuma instructed a special committee of Ministers to submit proposals to cabinet on how these three drivers should be addressed.

"I am encouraged by General Sitole's attendance to these priorities and I look forward to working with Lt. Generals Vuma and Tsumane – we have no time to waste time", said Mbalula.

Media Inquiries:

Mr Vuyo Mhaga
Spokesperson: Ministry of Police
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