President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Leonard Gaoretelelwe Lekgetho as the new permanent head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), placing an experienced investigator at the helm of one of the country’s key institutions in the fight against corruption.

Lekgetho’s appointment takes effect on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, in terms of section 3(1)(a) of the Special Investigating Units and Special Tribunals Act of 1996.

He succeeds Andy Mothibi, who left the SIU on February 1 to take up the position of National Director of Public Prosecutions.

Lekgetho had been serving as acting head of the SIU following Mothibi’s departure and will now take over the leadership of the unit on a permanent basis.

The Presidency said the appointment was intended to provide stability and continuity to the SIU as it continues its investigations into corruption, maladministration and the misuse of public resources.

Lekgetho brings 19 years of experience at the SIU, having joined the organisation in 2007 and served in a range of positions, including investigative roles and his most recent position as chief operations officer.

His experience also includes a stint as an investigator in the former Directorate of Special Operations, commonly known as the Scorpions.

Lekgetho holds degrees in law, education and science, as well as a diploma in forensic auditing and a postgraduate diploma in cyber law.

His appointment comes at a critical time for the SIU, which has intensified investigations into corruption and maladministration across national and provincial government departments, municipalities and state-owned entities.

The SIU is an independent statutory body established under the SIU Act. Its mandate includes investigating serious allegations of corruption, malpractice and maladministration involving state institutions, state assets and public money.

The unit is also empowered to institute civil proceedings to recover financial losses suffered by the state and to set aside contracts and transactions found to have been unlawfully concluded.

The SIU’s recent record includes major recoveries and successful court actions.

During the 2024/25 financial year, the unit reported recovering R1.3 billion in cash and assets, well above its R600 million target. It also prevented potential losses of R2.7 billion and secured the setting aside of contracts worth R5.6 billion.

The SIU’s previous annual report recorded even higher overall results for 2023/24, when it said it had saved the government about R8 billion through recoveries and loss prevention.

This included R2.28 billion in actual cash recoveries, described by the unit as the highest recovery in its 27-year history at the time. The SIU also prevented a further R2.32 billion in potential losses and secured R1.6 billion through acknowledgements of debt and admissions of liability.

The unit has continued pursuing major corruption matters, including investigations involving the National Lotteries Commission, Tembisa Hospital, Transnet, NSFAS and several municipalities.

In January 2026, the SIU reported that more than R1.7 billion had been returned to NSFAS following its investigation into corruption and maladministration involving the scheme.

The SIU has also secured significant victories through the Special Tribunal. In August 2026, it obtained a judgment holding former Nkandla project architect Minenhle Makhanya personally liable for R147.2 million in losses linked to the security upgrades at former president Jacob Zuma’s private residence.

The unit has also recently secured recoveries linked to the University of Fort Hare and continued investigations into procurement irregularities across government.

With Lekgetho now taking permanent charge, expectations will be high for the SIU to maintain its momentum in recovering public funds, challenging unlawful contracts and ensuring that evidence of criminal conduct is referred to the National Prosecuting Authority.

Ramaphosa wished Lekgetho and the SIU leadership and staff well as he assumes responsibility for an institution the Presidency described as a critical component of South Africa’s criminal justice architecture.