National police commissioner Gen Khehla Sitole is rejigging the police leadership in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.

The following changes, which will take effect on August 1, were announced by Sitole in a statement on Monday morning:

• Lt-Gen Khombinkosi Jula, 55, will become KwaZulu-Natal commissioner. Jula started as a student constable in Durban and has been a police officer for over 30 years. He is currently the Western Cape police commissioner;
• Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi will become the divisional commissioner of the Operational Response Services (ORS) at the police headquarters in Pretoria. Mkhwanazi started as a student constable in 1993 and recently served as the acting KwaZulu-Natal commissioner;
• Lt-Gen Sindile Mfazi will become acting Western Cape commissioner. Sithole expects to appoint a permanent commissioner before the end of August.

"I hold all these managers in high regard and I am sure that they will optimally guide those under their command to ensure a safer South Africa," Sitole said.