National Police Commissioner, General Khehla Sitole, has denied reports that Western Cape Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Khombinkosi Jula has been "removed" or "ordered to vacate his post by a certain period".
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the SAPS described the reports as malicious and misleading. Lieutenant General Jula is currently on vacation leave and remains the Provincial Commissioner of the province.
"I have consulted with Lieutenant General Jula about the prospect of him taking up the position of the Provincial Commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal.
"I have approached General Jula about this deployment because firstly, the post of Provincial Commissioner remains vacant and secondly, General Jula emerges from the province of KwaZulu-Natal making him experienced to police KZN,” said General Sitole.
The consultation process has not yet been concluded hence General Jula remains the Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape.
“The insinuation that General Jula is being ‘removed’ from his current post as Provincial Commissioner … is false, malicious, misleading with the potential of creating uncertainty about policing in the Western Cape,” the National Commissioner said.
He said he will make an official announcement about any movement within top management of the South African Police Service as he has done since his appointment on 22 November 2017. – SAnews.gov.za
