Hawks boss Godfrey Lebeya nears the end of his term
With just days left at the helm, the Lieutenant-General reflects on seven demanding years leading South Africa’s top crime-fighting unit.
Five suspected ATM bombers were shot dead by police in Witbank early on Monday morning. Picture: Athlenda Mathe/SAPS
702's Clement Manyathela is joined by Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya, the outgoing head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks).
Listen below:
He is just shy of three days left as the head of the country's Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (otherwise known as The Hawks), but Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya has no plans to rest.
That's despite the challenges the role, by its very nature, has presented.
It's been seven years since Lebaya took over as head of the unit.
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"I don't want to rest, there'll just be time to see what else I should be doing."
- Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya, Outgoing Head - Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks)
Lebaya says the Hawks have made significant inroads in apprehending those involved in high-profile cases.
"If you look at the success that we deposit on a daily basis, be it arrests or convictions, be it the seizure of proceeds of crime... since I took office we have arrested more than 19,266 serious organised criminal individuals."
- Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya, Outgoing Head - Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks)
But Lebaya adds that an inadequate budget, shortage of staff, and the NPA are some of the issues hindering the work of the Hawks.
Of the work that is left still to do, Lebaya says he will be outlining a list to his successor.
And on that list?
"Capacitate the DCPI. The DCPI is currently operating at 51% capacity. If we were operating at 100% capacity, the product that you see on the table shall have doubled."
- Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya, Outgoing Head - Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks)
"We must continuously engage the authority, and say if only we can get these additional resources then we will be able to double the work we are doing."
- Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya, Outgoing Head - Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks)
Is it not possible to use the proceeds of crime to capacitate the Hawks, suggests Manyathela?
"We are doing that... we have recently received more than R100 million to utilise in fighting crime."
- Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya, Outgoing Head - Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks)
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the discussion.