Top Hawks man fired on the spot after ruling

Embattled Hawks boss Berning Ntlemeza has been fired with immediate effect.

Ntlemeza suffered a double blow when Pretoria High Court judges Peter Mabuse, Jody Kollepen and Selby Baqwa unanimously dismissed his leave to appeal last month's High Court decision that his appointment as one of the country's most powerful policemen be reviewed, and then, just hours later, ruled that he must vacate his office.

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula's office said it would comment on the court order today .

The judges said last month's Pretoria High Court ruling was to be enforced regardless of whether Ntlemeza appealed to the Supreme Court of Appeal or the Constitutional Court.

The Helen Suzmann Foundation and Freedom Under Law, which have fought to have Ntlemeza removed from office ever since separate courts ruled he was a liar and unfit to hold office, welcomed the decision.

In 2015, Judge Elias Matojane ruled that Ntlemeza lacked integrity and honour, and was dishonest when he was found to have deliberately misled the court in an appeal against a court ruling overturning the suspension of former Gauteng Hawks head Shadrack Sibiya.

Judge Matojane's ruling was backed by the Pretoria High Court last month .

Lawyers representing Mbalula yesterday withdrew their support of Ntlemeza at the start of court proceedings.

Mbalula's predecessor, Nathi Nhleko, who appointed Ntlemeza to his position, had supported his appeal.

Ntlemeza's lawyer, Nceba Dukada, argued that his client needed a second chance.

"He is in the twilight of his career - not an ordinary policeman, but rather a senior policeman who occupies high office."

He had earlier argued that there was nothing untoward in the fact that earlier, damning judgments against Ntlemeza had not been given to the Hawks' interview panel.

However, Kollepen, Mabuse and Bagwa grilled Dukada about the "mere submission of a two-page memo" about the judgments against Ntlemeza.

Advocate Carol Steinberg, representing the Helen Suzmann Foundation and Freedom Under Law, said at the heart of the matter was the ruling that Ntlemeza was dishonest and unfit to hold office.