The head of the police division replacing the Scorpions will only be appointed next month, the Safety and Security Department said on Friday.
A lengthy recruitment process was to blame for the delay in selecting the new Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI) head, the department said in a statement.
”The Minister of Safety and Security Nathi Mthethwa announced the delay in the appointment … due to the long recruitment process,” it said.
The appointment, which was meant to be by the end of March, would now be made next month.
”However, the minister remains impressed with progress in the integration process of the Directorate of Special Operations [DSO] within the South African Police Service [Saps].”
Legislation providing for the DPCI was approved in Parliament towards the end of last year.
It provides for the disbandment of the Scorpions and the establishment of the new division within police structures.
In terms of the legislation, selected Saps and DSO members incorporated into the DPCI will be augmented by seconded personnel with the required expertise and skills from other government bodies.
These include the South African Revenue Service, the Financial Intelligence Centre
and the National Intelligence Agency. — Sapa