Ntlemeza to learn his fate today
The former head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (The Hawks) Berning Ntlemeza will find out this morning if he will be able to go back to work.
He has approached the High Court in Pretoria seeking an urgent interdict against Police Minister Fikile Mbalula.
Ntlemeza was dismissed after a string of court rulings over the past two years found that his appointment to be irregular and illegal.
He is challenging the ruling in the Supreme Court of Appeal and believes he should be allowed to return to work pending the appeal.
Shortly after assuming office Mbalula decided to not appeal the North Gauteng High Court judgement, which found Ntlemeza unfit to hold office. He appointed Yolisa Matakata to act in the position.
Ntlemeza reported for work at the end of April, despite being replaced. He left the Hawks' office with a cell phone and vehicle which he later returned. Mbalula vowed to arrest Ntlemeza should he come near the Hawks' offices.
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His legal representative Nceba Dukada says by not allowing Ntlemeza to return to work, Mbalula is acting outside the prescripts of the law.
"The rights of the applicant are violated, daily, since the day of the filing of this appeal in the 13th of April," he told the court.
But Mbalula's defence lawyer, Nazir Cassim maintained he was simply enforced a court order and that Ntlemeza should be thankful that he is still drawing a salary.
"At least four judges found this man to be dishonourable. Not fit to hold that office. In the face of that how can my learned friend make the submission that there is a degradation of his status whilst he's not back at work," Cassim told the court.