Today, the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Bheki Cele announced that the Provincial Commissioners of the Limpopo and Free State provinces will swop portfolios, meaning that Lieutenant General Tshifhiwa Sengani will assume command of police in the Free State and his counterpart, Lieutenant General Amon Mashigo will be posted as the manager of the police in Limpopo. This move was necessitated by ongoing strained relations in the management of the SAPS within the Free State office.
Lieutenant General Sengani has a proven record and a distinctive provincial managerial style and his placement is aimed at bringing stability in the police in the Free State whilst Lieutenant General Mashigo will take up the post in Limpopo. The Provincial Commissioners will assume their respective posts on Monday, 15 November 2010.
The three serving Deputy Provincial Commissioners of the Free State will be posted to other provinces in due course.
An investigation aimed at addressing the underlying reasons for the tensions experienced in the running of the SAPS in the Free State has been instituted. “The intervention by the police headquarters is necessary because conflict within the management echelon can affect service delivery adversely in the Free State. This conflict is not needed within the law enforcement environment, hence this swift reshuffle”, said General Cele.
The Minister of Police, Mr Nathi Mthethwa has welcomed this move and will be informed accordingly of the outcome of the investigation.
Media contact:
Colonel Lindela L Mashigo
National Media Centre
Cell: 082 778 4310
