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UPDATE: Mbalula: a warrant of arrest should be issued for Ntlemeza

National head of the Hawks Lt Genl. Berning Ntlemeza addressing the media at Mount Road Police station about a task team that will be formed to investigate the murder of four people at a tavern in Arcadia on Saturday evening. Pic: Eugene Coetzee. ©The Herald
National head of the Hawks Lt Genl. Berning Ntlemeza addressing the media at Mount Road Police station about a task team that will be formed to investigate the murder of four people at a tavern in Arcadia on Saturday evening. Pic: Eugene Coetzee. ©The Herald

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula read the riot act to former Hawks boss Berning Ntlemeza after he defiantly pitched up for work‚ barged into a meeting and drove off in a state vehicle on Monday.

Ntlemeza‚ he said‚ had acted unlawfully by arriving at the elite police unit’s offices in Silverton‚ Pretoria.

“We have been informed that General Ntlemeza entered the management meeting of the Hawks at their headquarters … and he ordered the head of supply chain to give him a car which is roaming around the streets of Pretoria or wherever he is …. And he has got a cell phone of government and state in his possession‚” said Mbalula.

He said the missing vehicle “must be tracked down and brought back” and said a warrant of arrest would have to be issued if it was not returned.

Ntlemeza’s lawyer‚ Comfort Ngidi‚ said earlier in the day that his client had reported for duty as head of the Hawks after lodging an appeal against a court ruling that effectively stripped him of his position.

Mbalula‚ upon hearing the news‚ arrived at the Hawks headquarters shortly afterwards and held a media conference. “There is no movie here. We are running a country here. That must be clear to Ntlemeza wherever he is. We are running a country‚ not a banana republic. At least when I am still here and still minister of police I am not going to allow that nonsense‚” he said.

Mbalula instructed acting national police commissioner Kgomotso Phahlane to deal decisively with the drama. “I have explained in no uncertain terms to General Phahlane the consequences if he fails to act on Ntlemeza‚ whether they are friends or not‚” he added.

Ntlemeza reported for work in defiance of a ruling by the North Gauteng High Court on April 12 which confirmed that his appointment as head of the Hawks be set aside. This was after earlier court rulings found that he lacked honesty and integrity.

Mbalula said that Ntlemeza was not entitled to report for work – as per the latest court ruling — even if he did approach the Supreme Court of Appeal to lodge an appeal. The minister appointed Lt-Gen Yolisa Matakata as the acting head of the Hawks and said on Monday that she remained in that position.

Efforts to obtain further comment from Ntlemeza’s lawyer were unsuccessful on Monday afternoon.

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