Career cop Elias Mawela appointed as Gauteng's new police commissioner

Lieutenant-general Elias Mawela is the new police commissioner of Gauteng.

The appointment of the career policeman to the top post was announced on Wednesday at the Mamelodi East police station in Pretoria.

An official in the Gauteng police department, who asked not to be named, told SowetanLIVE that Mawela had already occupied the office left vacant by Lt-Gen Deliwe de Lange.

"Mawela has taken up office and has met most of his staff," said the official. "His appointment was announced internally last week, but he will be announced to the public during this course of this week."

Mawela, 51, was the chairperson of the national joint operational and intelligence structure (NatJOINTS).

He worked his way up through the ranks, first serving at various police stations in Gauteng as a detective commander and station commander.

Mawela replaces De Lange, who left the police after 35 years in October 2018. De Lange and four others were implicated in tender fraud in November 2018 relating to the supply of police blue lights. They were granted bail by the Johannesburg Specialised Commercial Crimes Court.

City Press reported in 2015 that Mawela was the favourite to replace then police commissioner Riah Phiyega but Gen Khehla Sitole was promoted instead.