It took 22 years to give SAPS top job to a career cop

Lt-General Khehla Sitole is first career policeman to be named South African Police Service national commissioner since General George Fivaz was appointed by President Nelson Mandela in January 1995.

Fivaz's term of office expired the same month‚ in 2000. He was replaced by ANC exile turned diplomat Jackie Selebi. A string of other ill-fated appointments followed‚ both permanent and acting.

Sitole‚ who joined the police service in 1986‚ is also the first permanent national commissioner since social worker/management executive Riah Phiyega’s suspension in 2015.

Corruption Watch on Thursday greeted Sitole's appointment with "cautious optimism".

"We have called for the new commissioner to be experienced in police service and we are pleased to note General Sitole’s long record of service and vast experience‚" the grouping said.

Calling for a transparent and merit-based recruitment process in the appointment of officials into critical posts within law enforcement‚ Corruption Watch said: "...Lt-General Sitole is the sixth national commissioner to be appointed by Zuma. The majority of the previous commissioners lacked both the necessary skills and expertise‚ resulting in a crisis of leadership that has had a devastating effect on public safety‚ with murder and aggravated robbery on the rise in the last few years".

Nevertheless‚ the organisation congratulated Lt-General Sitole on his appointment‚ and urged him "to restore integrity to the police service and to take seriously his task of tackling the crime and corruption that is currently crippling our society".