Godfrey Lebeya Biography: Age, Wife, Qualifications, Police Service, Family, LinkedIn

Godfrey Lebeya profiles
Communications Minister Novula Mokonyane announced the appointment of Godfrey Lebeya as the head of the Hawks.

Biography

Advocate (Dr) Godfrey Lebeya (born c. 1962) is a respected law enforcement officer. He is best known for his stance against anti-corruption.

Lebeya has served in many roles, from detective to other placements against crimes. He is a veteran law enforcement officer with a gold medal in policing.

Godfrey Lebeya
Godfrey Lebeya biography
Godfrey Lebeya is the head of Hawks.
Quick Facts
Full Name:Godfrey Lebeya
Title:Advocate, Dr
Born:c. 1962 (age 60 years old)
Education:ND, BIURIS, LLB, LLM, LLD
Alma mater:University of South Africa
Marital Status:Married
Occupation:Police officer, advocate
Years Active:1984-date
Profiles:LinkedIn
Office:Head of the Hawks

Early Life

Godfrey Lebeya was born in 1962 in Hlabeleng village, in Bolobedu, Limpopo. He spent his formative attending schools in South Africa. After his matriculation, he moved to live in Stinkwater outside Pretoria with a friend and his family.

Education

Godfrey obtained a master’s of law in criminal law from the University of South Africa. He also holds a doctor of Law (LDD) in criminal law, specializing in the subject of organized crime.

Career

In May 1984, he took his oath of office at a police station in Polokwane in Limpopo (then Northern Transvaal town of Pietersburg).

Godfrey’s first posting was to Hillbrow. He was voted the best detective student in 1987. As a detective, his first case was about a principal who defrauded a school’s education department.

In May 2018, Communications Minister Novula Mokonyane announced his appointment as the new head of the Hawks. He served as a distinguished head of the organized crime unit.

His tenure saw the capture of cash-in-transit kingpins Jimmy Bilankulu and Dick Ngobeni. He carried out a full offensive against hijacking and cash-in-transit syndicates.

Advocate Godfrey served as Lieutenant General in the South African Police Service. He became the deputy National Commissioner in February 2011 and served until May 2016.

In 2014, the advocate took former SAPS Commissioner Riah Phiyega to court. She tried to remove him from his post as deputy national commissioner and force him into early retirement. He survived the lengthy legal onslaught.

Police Service

Godfrey Lebeya’s contribution to policing is astronomical. He was the best student at the SAP Training College, the best candidate for the detective course, and the best candidate for the fraud course. He has also served under and passed the following levels:

  • Student Constable
  • Constable
  • Detective Constable
  • Detective Sergeant
  • Detective Warrant Officer
  • Lieutenant
  • Captain
  • superintendent
  • Senior Superintendent
  • Director
  • Assistant Commissioner
  • Divisional Commissioner
  • Lieutenant-General
  • Deputy National Commissioner
  • Acting National Commissioner

Personal Life

Being a police officer is not always easy, but his wife and children understand. He got married to a policeman and had his children as a policeman.

His family, wife, and children understand his job and have been supportive. To them, being a policeman is his calling.

Social Profiles

Godfrey Lebeya is on LinkedIn and shares his policing and educational highlights.