The Hawks are not controlled by political parties, and they will
continue hitting criminals, its boss, Major-General Berning Ntlemeza, told
Parliament today.
Ntlemeza was urging the police committee in Parliament to help the
Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation gain independence from the police
service.
The Hawks were presenting their budget to the committee, when they
were questioned by Democratic Alliance MP Zakhele Mbhele about their
independence and “hit squad-like” methods.
Ntlemeza said the people of South Africa wanted the Hawks unit to
do its work.
“The Hawks are not being controlled, I am independent. We try by
all means not to be controlled by politicians or anyone,” he said.
He said the Hawks were making serious attempts to move away from
the activities of the long-disbanded Scorpions unit.
“Hence, even in terms of the operations, it is so professional. We
are hitting, and hitting, and hitting and hitting,” he said.
They were hitting important people regardless of their standing, he
said.
“We are pushing that the country must see us as independent,” he
said.
Ntlemeza called for the Hawks to be made independent of the SAPS
detective services programme, so they would have their own separate budget.
The Hawks have been in the spotlight lately due to their ongoing public battle with Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan. This was regarding the alleged South African Revenue Services “rogue” unit.
- News24