Orrin Singh20 March 2025 | 10:39

Hawks head Lebeya says they're operating at only 51% staff complement

With a current caseload of more than 18,000 dockets, Hawks head Lebeya says they need more staff. 

Hawks head Lebeya says they're operating at only 51% staff complement

Hawks head, Godfrey Lebeya, appeared before Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) in Cape Town on 20 November 2024. Picture: Phando Jikelo/Parliament

JOHANNESBURG - Hawks head Godfrey Lebeya says they are operating at only 51% of the staff complement.

This is one of the main challenges the outgoing boss has identified during his tenure within the crime investigative body.   
 
Lebeya is set to end his term at the end of May this year following his seven-year stint. 
 
With a current caseload of more than 18,000 dockets, Lebeya says they need more staff. 
 
With his seven-year term coming to an end in May, Lebeya spoke to Eyewitness News about some of the challenges and successes during his tenure as Hawks head. 
 
“We are operating on 51% of the staff compliment that we are supposed to be having. so this 49% that we need can actually come and enhance.”
 
He adds, this is resulting in slow turnaround times on cases of national interest. 
 
“Let’s say the VBS, that we are dealing with for some time. We are only at 50% of where we are supposed to be to say we have completed the investigation.”