“Still an Employee”: Police Deny KZN Hawks Boss Senona Was Kicked Out Amid Probe

A public dispute has erupted between KwaZulu-Natal’s top Hawks investigator and his provincial police bosses, revealing tensions at the highest levels of the province’s crime-fighting apparatus. Major-General Lesetja Senona, the head of the Hawks in KZN, claimed over the weekend that he had been effectively “kicked out” of his office and had his official gadgets seized. Provincial police authorities have swiftly denied this, stating Senona remains a full employee despite being under a cloud of investigation.

The controversy stems from the interim report of the Madlanga Commission, which was handed to President Cyril Ramaphosa in December. Senona was named as one of five senior police officials flagged for investigation over alleged links to controversial tender tycoon Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and the improper handling of confidential police documents.

Senona alleged that on Sunday, KZN Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi instructed him to vacate his office. However, in a terse clarification, provincial police management countered that Senona has not been removed from his post or suspended. They acknowledged a directive to change offices but framed it as an administrative measure, not a termination of his role, insisting “Senona is still their employee.”

A Leadership Crisis Amid a High-Stakes Probe

The conflicting accounts point to a deepening leadership crisis within a critical unit. The Hawks, South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, is tasked with tackling complex corruption and organised crime. Having its provincial head embroiled in a public spat with the police commissioner while under presidential-ordered investigation undermines operational stability and public confidence.

President Ramaphosa has mandated National Police Commissioner Fanie Masemola to establish a special task team to investigate all those named in the Madlanga report. Senona’s situation now sits in an awkward limbo: he is theoretically still in charge, but his authority is publicly questioned by his direct superior, and his conduct is under a national probe.

The episode raises immediate questions about the chain of command in KZN’s fight against corruption and who is effectively leading the Hawks during this period of uncertainty. For now, the official line is that Senona remains the headbut the dispute over his office keys suggests a battle for control is underway, with the credibility of a major anti-corruption unit hanging in the balance.

{Source: Citizen}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com