Career cop Fannie Masemola named new police commissioner

President Cyril Ramaphosa made the announcement during a national address on Thursday afternoon.

Masemola was picked from a group of 24 candidates, all of them currently serving as Lieutenants-General or higher.

The 24 were cut down to 5 in a selection process chaired by former Safety and Security Minister Sydney Mufamadi.

Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga, Police Minister Bheki Cele as well as Director-General of National Treasury Dondo Mogajane were also among the panel members.

According to Ramaphosa, interviews for the short-listed candidates focused on critical competencies including strategic capability and leadership, programme and project management, financial management, people management and integrity.

"In addition to evaluating candidates on the basis of these competencies, the advisory panel assessed candidates within the broader societal, strategic, operational and reputational context of the South African Police Service," said Ramaphosa.

"The selection process produced a select group of candidates who I can assure South Africans, were equal in their commitment to making South Africa a safer place."

Masemola will take over from Khehla Sitole who had a tumultuous term at the helm of the police force since November 2017.

"Just as we have done tonight with the SAPS, we will be taking further steps to restore stability to all our security structures, including filling critical vacancies in the State Security Agency and Crime Intelligence," Ramaphosa added.

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Unit now, Masemola has been a deputy police commissioner for policing.

This includes helping with the de-escalation of violence in KwaZulu-Natal in the country's first democratic elections in 1994.

He also played a leading role in coordinating security for all elections since and including 1994.

According to Ramaphosa, Masemola brings a wealth of experience in drastically reducing cash-in-transit crimes in the period around 2016.

Masemola led the securing of major national and international events in our country, including United Nations summits, climate conferences and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Most recently, Masemola served the nation as chairperson of the NATJOINTS on Covid-19, which coordinated government's efforts across different sectors nationally and internationally.

The new commissioner will inherit a lengthy to-do list, including rising high crime rates and low police morale.

Ramaphosa vowed to ensure Masemola has adequate support to get the job done.

"The weight of the nation's expectation resting on the commisioner's shoulders will be matched only by the weight of the support government will place at the disposal of the commisioner. A stable, capable and capacitated South African Police Service is our surest guarantee that our constitutional rights will not be violated by criminals.

"Commissioner, be assured of our full support and backing as Cabinet and as government," Ramaphosa added.