New Hawks boss warns criminals

The new head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) Lieutenant-General Mthandazo Ntlemeza is out to get tough on tender corruption and drug lords.

He said yesterday he wanted to win back public confidence by dealing with the rot in government tenders.

He addressed more than 100 Eastern Cape Hawks members  at the Zwelitsha provincial police headquarters yesterday.

The police officer with 34 years’ experience is touring all nine provinces where he is introducing himself to the different branches of the Hawks following his recent appointed as the head of the elite crime fighting unit.

“I am not going to allow government officials to drive fancy cars while the people on the ground are starving, I am going to end this corruption,” Ntlemeza said.

Ntlemeza said he met the Eastern Cape director-general  Marion Mbina-Mthembu last week to outline the Hawks strategy to end corruption inside the provincial government.

“We are also going to have campaigns to sensitise procurement officials including head of departments  not to be reckless when signing off tender documents because a simple signature can land you in prison,” he said.

Ntlemeza pleaded with the public to give him a chance to show his skills, saying he saw his job  to protect and serve them.

Ntlemeza also singled out drug cartels as the unit’s second priority, and  vowed to show no mercy to drug lords.

Drug case dockets would be handed over to  high level national detectives, rather than local detectives.

“I met the provincial commissioner and we spoke at length about the issue of drugs that are killing our people.

“We agreed that we are not going to show mercy, especially with the gangs in Port Elizabeth.

“If you have money under your bed – run, because Ntlemeza is coming for you. If you have a fancy car and you don’t know where the money for it came from – run, because Ntlemeza is coming for you.”

He said the  days are gone when the Hawks were known more for their arrests than  convictions.

“As you see there were problems in the National Prosecuting Authority but that has now been sorted out with the appointment of Shaun Abrahams as its head.

“He and I have an understanding – a working relationship. We are marching together.”