The office of the presidency released a statement on Thursday, 07 October 2021, confirming that President Cyril Ramaphosa has invited the National commissioner of police, Khehla Sitole, to make representations on the president’s notice to suspend him.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has in terms of section 8(3) of the police Act, invited the National Commissioner of Police, General Khehla Sitole, to make representations on the president’s notice to suspend him,” the statement read, issued by The Presidency in Pretoria.

The statement went further to say that the president wrote to the National Commissioner on the 20^th of September 2021 in connection with allegations of the failure of the commission to assist IPID (The Independent Police Investigative Directorate).

“The president has, in terms of section 9 of the South African Police Services Act of 1995, read with section 8 of the same Act, 68 of 1995, deemed it appropriate at this stage to institute a board of inquiry into the National Commissioner’s alleged misconduct and fitness to hold the office of National Commissioner of Police. This is merited by the public interest in the integrity of the office of the National Commissioner,” wrote the Presidency.

The office of the Presidency stated that in the letter by the President to General Khehla Sitole on the 20^th of September he had been given 14 days to respond of which the commissioner submitted representation which the president has considered. The office also stated that further engagement will only be between the President and the National Commissioner.