Hawks spokesman transferred back to media centre

"He has not been suspended. He has been moved to the national police media centre," Lt-Gen Solomon Makgale said.

 

Limpopo police spokesman Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi would take over from Ramaloko as acting Hawks spokesman.

 

"This is an interim matter, it's not a permanent thing. Mulaudzi is still the official head of police communications in Limpopo," said Makgale.

 

He clarified that Ramaloko was never the permanent spokesman of the Hawks.

 

"Ramaloko has been acting as Hawks spokesman ever since McIntosh Polela left. So now he [Ramaloko] is going back to his original position in the media centre. It was never an intention to keep him there at the Hawks permanently," said Makgale.

 

"Ramaloko is happy with the transition, and he is happy to move back to where he was."

 

Polela, the previous Hawks spokesman, was fired over comments he made on Twitter about prison rape. The comments were made after musician Molemo "Jub Jub" Maarohanye was convicted of murder.

 

"JubJub spending 1st nite in prison. Bail has been denied after being found guilty of murder, attempted murder & racing while high," Polela tweeted in 2013.

 

"I trust that JubJub's supporters gave him a jar of Vaseline to take to prison."

 

On December 23, Hawks boss Anwa Dramat was suspended, apparently pending a probe into his alleged involvement in facilitating the illegal rendition of Zimbabweans in November 2010.

 

Gauteng Hawks head Maj-Gen Shadrack Sibiya was served with a notice of suspension on Monday, reportedly also relating to the renditions. Senior Hawks official Colonel Leslie Maluleke was also reportedly served with a notice of suspension.