President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to announce the successor to outgoing national police commissioner Khehla Sitole on Thursday.

Ramaphosa last month announced that he had, by mutual agreement, terminated Sithole's employment contract with effect from March 31.

The presidency at the time said Ramaphosa and Sitole had agreed that the move was in the “best interests of the country”.

Sitole’s departure would enable a proper handover of various tasks, including ongoing investigations, to one of the senior members of the team at the police service that had been assisting Sitole.

Sitole and police minister Bheki Cele have been embroiled in a long-running public spat.

The latest conflict erupted in February when Cele alleged during media interviews that Sitole had snubbed the state of the nation address, where the SAPS was a crucial part of the security arrangements.

Before he terminated Sitole’s contract, Ramaphosa said the ongoing war of words between Sitole and Cele would have to be dealt with in the context of leadership changes in the country’s security apparatus.

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