Deputy Minister of Police, Mr Cassel Mathale;

The National Commissioner of SAPS, General Kehla Sitole;

The Deputy National Commissioners present;

Provincial and Divisional Commissioners present;

Senior officers;

Members of the media;

Ladies and gentlemen;

It gives me great pleasure to announce the appointment of Provincial Commissioners and the Divisional Commissioner of the Division Visible Policing.

These changes have been made following extensive consultation and in line with the South African Police Service’s Turnaround Vision aimed at responding directly to the service's core mandate as enshrined in the Constitution of preventing, combatting and investigating crime to ultimately ensure that the people of South Africa are and feel safe.

These permanent appointments will provide structure, enhanced accountability as well as command and control in the respective Divisions and Provinces to ensure that the SAPS, as an organisation works towards on common goal - “A journey to a safer South Africa.” This is in line with the working theme of the police of ZIZOJIKA IZINTO, translated to Turning the Tide against crime. We trust that the new management team will add tremendous value towards achieving our service delivery agreement of ensuring that the people of South Africa are and feel safe.

The vision is ‘Creating a safe and secure country and a crime-free environment conducive to socio-economic stability, in support of a better life for all’. 

These appointments I am about to announce will satisfy the requirements of the approach of the Turnaround Vision to build a professional and capable SAPS based on transformation, resource management (human, physical and financial), uncompromising compliance with the fundamental principles of policing, and establishing a culture of performance management and accountability. It further aims to exert and enforce the authority of the State, to enhance thorough and responsive investigation of every crime, to efficiently utilise resources in support of the investigation of crime, to ensure the utilisation of crime intelligence in support of proactive and reactive policing and to focus on a collaborative, consultative approach to policing.

The following senior appointments are being made and they will come into effect from 2 January 2019:

Appointed into the post of DIVISIONAL COMMISSIONER: VISIBLE POLICING is

Lieutenant General Moeketsi Sempe who joined the Service in 1993 and has more than 26 years’ service in the Police Service.  He is in possession of a National Diploma in Police Management, a B-Tech degree in Policing and an M-Tech degree in Policing. He was appointed as a Lieutenant General on 1 April 2018 as the Provincial Commissioner:  Free State after having served as the Deputy Provincial Commissioner:  Policing, Free State since January 2012. This officer brings with him a wealth of experience in the operational policing environment.

Appointed as the PROVINCIAL COMMISSIONER: FREE STATE is

Lieutenant General Baile Motswenyane who joined the Service in 1989 and has more than 30 years’ service.  She is in possession of a National Diploma in Police Administration, a Postgraduate Diploma in Genetics and a B-Tech degree in Policing. She was appointed as a Lieutenant General on 1 February 2016 as the Provincial Commissioner: North West.  This officer has served in the operational environment for quite a significant period of her career and had also attained experience in the Human Resources and the Detectives environment.

Appointed as the PROVINCIAL COMMISSIONER: NORTH WEST is

Lieutenant General Sello Kwena who joined the Service in 1988 and he has more than 31 years’ service.  He is in possession of a National Diploma in Police Administration, a National Higher Diploma in Policing, a degree in Police Science, a Bachelor of Law and a BA degree in Human Resources Management. He was appointed as a Lieutenant General on 1 September 2016 as the Divisional Commissioner:  Human Resource Utilisation.  This officer too brings with him a wealth of experience at from station level, as well as at divisional level at Operational Response Services, Visible Policing, Human Resource Development, Human Resource Utilisation and Inspectorate. He served as a station commander for the following stations in the North West Province: Makwassie Hills, Jouberton, Mmabatho, and also served as a Cluster Commander of Vryburg District.

And last but not least, the much anticipated announcement of the PROVINCIAL COMMISSIONER: WESTERN CAPE is

Lieutenant General Yolisa Matakata who joined the SAPS in 1985 and has more than 34 years’ service. She was appointed to the rank of Lieutenant General on 1 December 2015 as the Acting National Head: Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) and on 1 April 2017 as the Deputy National Head: DPCI. This officer has attained vast experience in the Crime Intelligence and Serious Organised Crime environment. General Matakata is in possession of a senior certificate. The member is now transferred from the DPCI and back into the Service to serve the people of Western Cape.

General Matakata served 15 years in the Crime Intelligence environment in the Western Cape of which she served 5 years as the Provincial Head, Crime Intelligence. She also served as a Deputy Provincial Commissioner responsible for Detective Services and thereafter Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI - HAWKS)

I am confident that the changes and appointments made will add tremendous value to our efforts to preventing and combatting crime nationally.

I thank you