South Africa President Names Veteran General as New Police Chief
(Bloomberg) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed General Sehlahle Masemola as the nation's new police commissioner, part of a shake-up of the security forces which comes in the wake of a probe that criticized their handling of an outbreak of civil unrest last year.
Masemola has served in a number of senior positions in the police force, most recently as head of the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure. He takes over the post from Khehla Sitole, whose contract was terminated last month.
“I am certain that he is going to do the people of South Africa proud,” Ramaphosa said in a televised address on Thursday.
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A week of rioting that erupted in July last year following former President Jacob Zuma's incarceration on contempt-of-court charges claimed 354 lives and saw thousands of businesses being looted. A panel appointed by Ramaphosa to probe the violence criticized the police's inadequate response and found that tensions between Sitole and Police Minister Bheki Cele was a contributing factor.
The police have also drawn criticism for failing to address rampant criminality, which has been cited as a major deterrent to investment. More than 60 people are murdered each day in South Africa, and its per-capita homicide rate is more than five times the international average.
Last month, Ramaphosa named Thembisile Majola the new director-general of the State Security Agency from March 1 to stabilize the country's intelligence services, and made several senior appointments in the National Prosecuting Authority to bolster its capacity to tackle graft.
©2022 Bloomberg L.P.
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