PRETORIA, South Africa — 1 September 2026: President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Leonard Gaoretelelwe Lekgetho as the permanent head of South Africa’s Special Investigating Unit, effective Tuesday. The appointment converts a role Lekgetho had held in an acting capacity since 1 February into a permanent position at the state’s civil anti-corruption agency.
Who is the new head of South Africa’s SIU? Leonard Gaoretelelwe Lekgetho is the permanent head of the Special Investigating Unit from 1 September 2026. He has worked at the unit since 2007, most recently as chief operations officer and acting head, and previously investigated cases for the Scorpions.
What Ramaphosa’s appointment changes
eNCA reported the permanent appointment at 6:30 AM SAST on 1 September. It said Lekgetho’s term took effect that day after he had led the SIU on an acting basis for seven months.
The Presidency said the permanent appointment was intended to provide stability and continuity at the unit. Jacaranda FM’s detailed report says Ramaphosa acted under section 3(1)(a) of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act.
Lekgetho succeeds Advocate Andy Mothibi, who left the SIU at the beginning of February to become South Africa’s National Director of Public Prosecutions. XTRAfrica previously explained Mothibi’s move from the SIU to the NPA, including Lekgetho’s initial appointment as acting head.
The shift from acting to permanent leadership does not change the SIU’s statutory powers. It changes who holds continuing executive responsibility for the agency and removes uncertainty about whether another candidate would take over.
Who Leonard Gaoretelelwe Lekgetho is
The SIU’s official profile describes Lekgetho as a long-serving investigator and manager who moved through the unit’s operational ranks before becoming chief operations officer. His roles included chief forensic investigator, project manager, chief national investigations officer and chief operations officer.
The Presidency says his SIU service spans 19 years, from 2007 to 2026. Before joining the unit, he worked as an investigator in the former Directorate of Special Operations, commonly known as the Scorpions.
| APPOINTMENTS
Leonard Lekgetho Appointed Permanent Head of the SIU
Sep 1, 2026
Sep 1, 2026
4 min read
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PRETORIA, South Africa — 1 September 2026: President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Leonard Gaoretelelwe Lekgetho as the permanent head of South Africa’s Special Investigating Unit, effective Tuesday. The appointment converts a role Lekgetho had held in an acting capacity since 1 February into a permanent position at the state’s civil anti-corruption agency.
Who is the new head of South Africa’s SIU? Leonard Gaoretelelwe Lekgetho is the permanent head of the Special Investigating Unit from 1 September 2026. He has worked at the unit since 2007, most recently as chief operations officer and acting head, and previously investigated cases for the Scorpions.
What Ramaphosa’s appointment changes
eNCA reported the permanent appointment at 6:30 AM SAST on 1 September. It said Lekgetho’s term took effect that day after he had led the SIU on an acting basis for seven months.
The Presidency said the permanent appointment was intended to provide stability and continuity at the unit. Jacaranda FM’s detailed report says Ramaphosa acted under section 3(1)(a) of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act.
Lekgetho succeeds Advocate Andy Mothibi, who left the SIU at the beginning of February to become South Africa’s National Director of Public Prosecutions. XTRAfrica previously explained Mothibi’s move from the SIU to the NPA, including Lekgetho’s initial appointment as acting head.
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The shift from acting to permanent leadership does not change the SIU’s statutory powers. It changes who holds continuing executive responsibility for the agency and removes uncertainty about whether another candidate would take over.
Who Leonard Gaoretelelwe Lekgetho is
The SIU’s official profile describes Lekgetho as a long-serving investigator and manager who moved through the unit’s operational ranks before becoming chief operations officer. His roles included chief forensic investigator, project manager, chief national investigations officer and chief operations officer.
The Presidency says his SIU service spans 19 years, from 2007 to 2026. Before joining the unit, he worked as an investigator in the former Directorate of Special Operations, commonly known as the Scorpions.
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Lekgetho’s published qualifications include degrees in law, education and science, a diploma in forensic auditing and postgraduate study in cyber law. The official SIU biography also records training connected to forensic investigation, cybercrime and anti-corruption leadership.
What the SIU does and does not do
The SIU investigates serious allegations of corruption, fraud, maladministration and losses involving state institutions or public money. It can pursue civil litigation to recover state assets or funds and can refer evidence of possible criminal conduct to prosecutors and law-enforcement agencies.
It is important not to confuse the unit with the National Prosecuting Authority. The SIU can investigate under its legal mandate and bring civil recovery proceedings, but criminal prosecution belongs to the NPA. The distinction matters because Lekgetho now leads the investigating and civil-recovery body while his predecessor leads the national prosecution authority.
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SABC News reported the appointment at 7:24 AM SAST and embedded a GovernmentZA announcement identifying Lekgetho as the new head with effect from 1 September. The broadcaster also confirmed his earlier service as acting head and his experience in the Scorpions.
What comes next at the SIU
Lekgetho now carries continuing responsibility for the SIU’s national investigations, civil-recovery work and operational direction. His first months as permanent head will show whether he changes the agency’s priorities or continues the approach followed during his seven months in an acting capacity.
The appointment itself does not alter the status of existing investigations or create a new case outcome. It gives the unit settled leadership while Lekgetho oversees work already authorised under the SIU’s legal mandate.
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