Lebeya hails Hawks successes, hopes to solve staffing shortages
The head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), better known as the Hawks, said on Monday he hopes to resolve the staffing shortages plaguing the unit by next year.
The Hawks are currently operating with a staff complement of 52%.
Godfrey Lebeya gave an update on milestones in the first quarter of the 2023/24 financial year, during which he revealed that more than 600 suspects were arrested and brought before the country’s courts, while 229 were convicted and sentenced.
Briefing the media in Tshwane on Monday, Lebeya said 203 suspects were arrested for fraud, while 48 were nabbed for money laundering.
“During these arrests, the DPCI also seized various exhibits including precious metals and diamonds, endangered species, vehicles, cash, firearms, ammunition, counterfeit goods, explosives and electronic devices worth R 6 112 768 985.”
In March, South Africa was added to the Financial Action Task Force grey list after the Paris-based organisation flagged the country’s poor ability to curb money laundering and the funding of terrorism regimes.
READ: Treasury, Reserve Bank committed to working with FATF after greylisting
https://www.jacarandafm.com/news/news/treasury-reserve-bank-committed-working-fatf-after-greylisting/
HAPPENING NOW: The National Head for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) Lt Gen Godfrey Lebeya and his management briefing media to outline milestones achieved during the 1st quarter of the 2023/2024 financial year #HawksUpdate #PriorityCrimes
— Jacaranda News (@JacaNews) September 4, 2023
Video: GCIS pic.twitter.com/n0A3bokVnw
NEARLY 50% EMPTY POSTS TO FILL
Earlier this year, the directorate told Parliament’s portfolio committee on police that it expected to fill more than 2 600 vacant posts in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years.
The deputy national Head, the divisional commissioner of national priority offences, and three provincial heads were appointed in the previous financial year.
“We advertised some posts yesterday. My intention, finance allowing, is that within the two financial years, we must capacitate the Hawks to 100%,” Lebeya said.
However, Lebeya said while he works to fill the gaps, the unit also faced attrition through retirement and resignations.
“Today, I was signing off 11 people who are retiring. Others will be appointed elsewhere, like within the greater South African Police Service, going for higher positions.”
Lebeya lauded his investigators, provincial heads and the component heads who remained committed to the probing of more than 20,000 cases.
“Some of these cases are complicated – as an example – you look at the VBS investigation, we have arrested 50% of what we are supposed to, and some of the statements that are filed, we have more than 9 000 pages in that investigation. That’s how complicated some of these matters are.”
Lebeya said they were particularly concerned that just in the first quarter, 31 police officers were killed.
ALSO READ:
