Cape Town – Outgoing Hawks Head, General Godfrey Lebeya, has reflected on his tenure (2018–2025), saying that he leaves behind a capable and committed team dedicated to combating major criminal syndicates in South Africa.
Speaking in Montana, north of Pretoria on Saturday, Lebeya said that over 19,000 people have been arrested under the Hawks with successful convictions, targeting crimes such as cash-in-transit heists, drug and human trafficking, and illegal mining.
According to SABC News, he emphasised that while South Africa battles high crime rates, law enforcement efforts are yielding results, with a downward trend in crime in many areas.
🔴 Godfrey Lebeya Honoured as He Concludes Seven-Year Tenure as Hawks Head🔴
In a ceremony held on Friday, 30 May 2025, Lieutenant General (Dr/Adv) Godfrey Lebeya was honoured for his dedicated service as the National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation… pic.twitter.com/3dNfHfzxAn
— Central News (@centralnewsza) May 31, 2025
“The state President visited the United States. It is on a high level, and then the Minister of Police has actually produced as statistical results of how we are dealing with crime in South Africa, and we have indicated the areas where crime has been reduced, and intent on the areas where crime shall have increased, but overall, the crime is been reduced. And people should rest assured that the police are hard at work. Most of these activities that we are seeing, we are also seeing a lot of arrests that are being done, Lebeya said.
H also pointed out that correctional facilities are full and weekly arrests continue under initiatives like Operation Shanella. He commended the transparency in crime reporting compared to other countries.
Lebeya began his SAPS career at Sophiatown Police Station in 1984, initially aspiring to be a mechanical engineer, IOL reported.
After working in various units including Crime Prevention and CID at Hillbrow, he moved on to investigate serious crimes such as murder, robbery, fraud, and bribery.
[WATCH] Today marks the last day in office for Lieutenant General Godfrey Lebeya as national head of the Hawks. In 2018, he was appointed as the head of South Africa’s priority crimes investigation unit. General Lebeya has praised the unit’s work in dismantling various criminal… pic.twitter.com/YmEjdupwXK
— SABC News (@SABCNews) May 31, 2025
He later founded the Johannesburg North Fraud Section and rose through the ranks, becoming Provincial Head of Specialised Investigations and then Head of Detective Service in Gauteng.
Academically, Lebeya earned a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), became an Advocate of the High Court in 2006, and obtained a Doctor of Laws (LLD) in 2012, specializing in organized crime.
Appointed as National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) in 2018, he spearheaded 113 complex project-driven investigations, achieving a 75% success rate with 566 arrests.
He also prioritised the advancement of digital forensic capabilities and public-private partnerships during his tenure.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
