Police minister gives thumbs up to new Gauteng police commissioner

Lieutenant-General Elias Mawela has been announced as the province's police commissioner.

Police minister Bheki Cele and national police commissioner Khehla Sitole made the announcement at Mamelodi East police station on Wednesday.

Speaking to members of the public and the media, Cele said Mawela, the former head of special forces in Gauteng, is a career policeman who has occupied various leadership roles in the SAPS.

“The person charged with the responsibility of heading Gauteng is not new in the environment of policing. He has been with this organisation since his enlistment in 1984 and has grown both in experience and knowledge. After his training, he has obtained a national diploma in policing and a degree in administration,” Cele said.

Mawela takes over the provincial police leadership role from Lieutenant-General Deliwe de Lange. 

De Lange vacated her post in October after 35 years in the police service.

In June last year, she was rumoured to have been forced out of the service, a decision which was later rescinded.

De Lange was arrested and accused of being part of an elaborate fraud scheme involving supposedly dubious tax certificates for a lucrative R84m tender involving government vehicles.

She was granted a R20,000 bail after being charged with corruption, fraud, forgery and uttering.