President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Leonard Gaoretelelwe Lekgetho as permanent head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), effective 1 September 2026, after he served seven months in an acting capacity. Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya confirmed the appointment on Monday, 31 August, saying it was made under section 3(1)(a) of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act of 1996.
Lekgetho stepped into the acting role in February 2026 after Advocate Andy Mothibi departed the SIU to become National Director of Public Prosecutions. The vacancy at the top of the SIU came at a time when the unit was handling multiple high-profile investigations into procurement fraud and maladministration across national and provincial government departments.
Magwenya told News24 that the appointment was intended to secure the stability of the unit and its ongoing impact in the fight against crime. The SIU is South Africa’s statutory anti-corruption agency, mandated to investigate corruption, maladministration, and misuse of public money, and to pursue civil recovery where wrongdoing is found.
According to the SIU’s official website, Lekgetho has more than 20 years of experience inside the unit and previously served as chief forensic investigator, projects director, chief national investigations officer, and chief operations officer. His background includes work on high-profile corruption cases, forensic audits, cybercrime investigations, and oversight of national and provincial operations.
The appointment drew coverage from News24, IOL, and TimesLive, all of which reported the core facts consistently on 31 August and 1 September. Cape Flats News confirmed the details against the government statement and the SIU’s own announcement.
For communities on the Cape Flats, the SIU’s work has direct relevance: the unit has investigated procurement irregularities at Western Cape municipalities, housing projects, and health department contracts where public funds were misused. A permanently appointed head removes the uncertainty of an acting position and signals continuity in investigations that may touch local government institutions.
Unverified details include the exact wording of any acceptance remarks from Lekgetho and the full list of his academic qualifications, which sources summarise differently. Cape Flats News will check for an official SIU statement or media briefing from Lekgetho by close of business on Wednesday, 3 September.