First woman to head up IPID

New IPID Executive Director, Jennifer Ntlatseng

Image source: Twitter @SAgovnews

Ntlatseng, who is the first female to occupy the position, is a criminal justice system and community-policing administrator with 20 years of experience.

Minister Cele has wished the new Executive Director well, urging her to exercise her duties without fear or favour at the police watchdog body.

“The role of the IPID is a very important one for us as the South African Police Service and we hope the Directorate remains a corrective body and not a punitive one for our members,” said Cele on Tuesday.

The 49-year-old Soweto-born mother of two, kick started her professional career in an Administrative role in the Gauteng Provincial Department of Community Safety.

She went on to obtain a Bachelor degree qualification from the University of South Africa (Unisa).

From 2001 to 2004, Ntlatseng served as an Assistant Director in Youth Crime prevention in the Gauteng Provincial Department of Community Safety.

She then took over as the Deputy Director in Community Police Relations for a year before being promoted to Director of the same unit. Ntlatseng held this role until 2017 and for two decades also served as a member of the Gauteng Community Forum board.

Ntlatseng has expressed her enthusiasm to hit the ground running in her new role.

“I want to steer this ship in the right direction and at the same time be open and transparent while trying to rebrand IPID to win back the confidence of the community,” she said.

The Minister is confident the appointment of the new Executive Director will bring much needed stability into the organisation.

“Ntlatseng’s appointment couldn’t have come at a better time as the country marks Women’s Month and when government is improving gender representation by appointing more women in positions of power as heads of institutions and in senior management positions,” said the Office of the Minister of Police.