Criteria for top cops lowered

Criteria for top cops lowered

December 2 2014 at 09:26am
By Louise Flanagan

SAPA

Minister of Police Nathi Nhleko Photo: Werner Beukes

Johannesburg - Police had to drop the minimum academic requirement for provincial crime intelligence chiefs to a matric certificate so they could find candidates with the right experience.

On Monday, Minister of Police Nathi Nhleko told Parliament that the vacant positions for provincial heads of crime intelligence were advertised in April 2012.

The educational requirement stipulated in the adverts was NQF6 or higher, he said. NQF6 is a bachelor’s degree or higher diploma.

But they couldn’t find any candidates.

“During the evaluation of the applications received, a limited pool of experienced candidates was identified.

“Excellent candidates with experience and relevant training, exclusive to the crime intelligence environment, were excluded due to the qualification requirement,” said Nhleko.

With the legally required approval of the national commissioner, by then General Riah Phiyega, the requirements were dropped in February this year.

The jobs were readvertised on March 4.

Now, the posts require “at least a Grade 12 or a NQF level 4 qualification coupled with training and development in the field of intelligence as a minimum requirement”, the minister said.

Two provincial heads meet the revised requirements.

Phiyega’s spokesman, Lieutenant-General Solomon Makgale, on Monday listed the provincial heads of crime intelligence and their qualifications.

Gauteng’s position is vacant, and the KwaZulu-Natal head is on special leave, he said.

louise.flanagan@inl.co.za

The Star