Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's quiet promotion

President Jacob Zuma hastily promoted acting police boss Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to the rank of lieutenant-general in an attempt at damage control after announcing him as a stand-in for the suspended Bheki Cele.

Two days after appointing Mkhwanazi, 38, as Cele's acting replacement, Zuma on Wednesday promoted him from major-general to lieutenant-general.

The promotion, said senior police officers and a security expert, followed an outcry over the fact that about 26 more senior lieutenant-generals, who were overlooked for the acting position, would have to report to the more junior-ranked Mkhwanazi.

The promotion was hush-hush and, apart from the national commissioner's spokesman, Major-General Nonkululeko Mbatha, correcting a journalist on Mkhwanazi's rank at a press briefing yesterday, no specific mention was made of his new ranking.

The Times has learnt that Mkhwanazi's epaulettes and rank structures were delivered to him yesterday morning, in time for him to wear them at the midday media briefing.

Police spokesman Zweli Mnisi said Zuma had the prerogative to appoint any individual at any level.

Head of the Institute for Security Studies Dr Johan Burger said, however, that although there was nothing irregular about the promotion, it was unusual.

"The appointment in itself is a bit strange. It is clearly damage control by the president as he appointed Mkhwanazi ahead of other more senior lieutenant-generals. This was not a well- thought-out appointment."

Cele has been suspended with full pay and benefits pending the outcome of a special board of inquiry into his involvement in the R1.78-billion police headquarters lease deals.

Burger said Mkhwanazi overtook Cele's five deputies, nine national divisional commissioners and nine provincial commissioners in rank. He said even though Mkhwanazi was a career police officer, one could not help but look for another explanation for his meteoric rise.

Wednesday's promotion was Mkhwanazi's second in five months. He became a major-general in May after being a brigadier for a year. He joined the South African Police Service in 1993 and by 2001 was a captain and was promoted to senior superintendent the same year.

But Mkhwanazi is confident he will be the "captain of the ship" and continue decreasing crime statistics.

"I'm going to put more fuel to ensure that we increase our speed," said Mkhwanazi.

He heaped praise on Cele, commending him for the "foundation that has been laid", and warned criminals that police officers would continue to "meet fire with fire".