Mbalula has power to bar Ntlemeza from entering Hawks HQ on Monday: DA

Police minister Fikile Mbalula has the power to bar axed former Hawks boss Berning Ntlemeza from entering the Hawks HQ from Monday – regardless of the fact that Ntlemeza is appealing against his sacking‚ the Democratic Alliance says.

DA spokesman on police matter Zakhele Mbhele said on Sunday that Mbalula could provisionally suspend Ntlemeza pending an inquiry into his fitness to hold office in terms of section 17DA(2) of the SAPS Act.

He added that the DA would write to Mbalula‚ urging him to exercise the power that he had in terms of section 17DA to suspend Ntlemeza‚ from the SAPS.

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“This suspension is imperative if Ntlemeza goes ahead and lodges an appeal against the High Court order that determined the setting aside of his appointment with immediate effect.

“When Mbalula fired Ntlemeza last week as Head of the Hawks‚ he was simply enacting the North Gauteng High Court order. If Ntlemeza’s appeal has the effect of suspending that order‚ then Mbalula need not sit idly by. In terms of the SAPS Act‚ Ntlemeza can still be removed by Mbalula through a suspension from the SAPS‚” Mbhele said.

“Therefore‚ Mbalula has the power to keep Ntlemeza away from the Hawks regardless of the fact that he is appealing.”

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Mbhele added that having been previously found by the North Gauteng High Court to have acted in bad faith‚ that he was dishonest and acted without integrity‚ the DA had long held that Ntlemeza was not beyond reproach and could not be given the huge responsibility of leading the country’s crime fighting unit.

“The Hawks requires stability amongst its senior leadership which Ntlemeza is a threat to. Mbalula should accordingly not allow Ntlemeza to enter the Hawks building on Monday‚” Mbhele asserted.