No irregularities in appointment of SIU COO Leonard Lekgetho: public protector - TimesLIVE
The public protector has found no irregularities in the appointment of Leonard Lekgetho as COO of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
Lekgetho is now the head of the SIU and was officially appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in September after acting in the role since February, when the former head, advocate Andy Mothibi, was appointed national director of public prosecutions.
The public protector investigation stems from a complaint by a person referred to only as P Maharaj on July 19 2024, who challenged the recruitment and selection process used to appoint the SIU’s COO.
Maharaj, who applied for the position and was shortlisted, believed the SIU recruitment process was flawed for a variety of reasons.
According to Maharaj, the SIU advertised the vacancy in February 2023. Maharaj was subsequently informed that they had met the selection threshold and would proceed to further assessments, including a presentation and psychometric assessment.
Maharaj alleged that the SIU appointed Lekgetho, whom Maharaj said did not meet one of the advertised minimum requirements for the position of COO.
Maharaj said Lekgetho should not have been shortlisted in the first place for the vacancy, as he allegedly did not meet the minimum qualification requirement for the COO post as per the job profile and the advertisement, namely the relevant postgraduate qualification in management or equivalent.
This rendered his appointment fatally defective and further unfair not only to Maharaj but also to all other applicants.
The public protector’s investigation considered whether there were irregularities in the recruitment and selection process followed by SIU officials. The investigation found the allegation to be unsubstantiated.
Public protector Kholeka Gcaleka found that the requirement for a relevant postgraduate qualification expressly allowed for an equivalent qualification, and this provision was applied lawfully and consistently to the candidates during the shortlisting process.
“The SIU’s decision to appoint Mr Lekgetho was lawful, rational, procedurally fair and properly exercised within the discretion conferred by law and policy,” she said.
“Accordingly, the conduct of the functionaries of the SIU does not amount to improper conduct under section 182(1)(a) of the constitution or maladministration under section 6(5)(a) of the Public Protector Act.”
Meanwhile, Gcoleka said the investigation into the conduct of suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu under the Executive Members’ Ethics Act is nearing the end.
“We are at a very advanced stage and the nature of such investigations is that as you think we are now closing, there is more information that becomes available. We are following up on that information as we edge closer to the end of the investigation,” said COO Nelisiwe Nkabinde.
Nkabinde stressed the investigation was being conducted within its mandate under the Executive Members’ Ethics Act after allegations that Mchunu had breached the act and the applicable code of ethics for cabinet members.
This came as Gcaleka released the quarter two findings on investigation reports on Thursday.
Nkabinde confirmed the public protector had received co-operation, including from KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
“We have received full co-operation from everyone, and that has led to us getting more information and evidence as we continue with the consultations. We are not running parallel to the Madlanga commission. We are investigating within the mandate of the public protector.”
Mchunu was placed on a special leave of absence by Ramaphosa on July 13 2025, pending an inquiry into allegations of corruption, fraud and political interference in policing.
