HSF wants Dramat order enforced

Johannesburg - The North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Friday heard the Helen Suzman Foundation's application for an enforcement order on the court's ruling regarding the suspension of Hawks head Anwa Dramat.

"We applied for the court, in terms of Rule 49, [to] confirm its own ruling of last week that Dramat can return to his job," HSF director Francis Antonie said.

The foundation made its submissions on Friday.

Antonie said Judge Bill Prinsloo was expected to rule on its application on Monday morning.

He would then hear Police Minister Nathi Nhleko's application for leave to appeal his decision to overturn Dramat's suspension.

Dramat was set to return to work last Friday, after Prinsloo ruled his suspension by Nhleko was unlawful and invalid.

Prinsloo also ruled that Nhleko's decision to appoint Major General Berning Ntlemeza as acting national Hawks head was unlawful and invalid.

Antonie said Dramat tried to return to work on Sunday evening, but was locked out.

The police ministry said Dramat was not allowed to return to work until the appeal process had been completed.

Antonie said the HSF's case was not about Dramat.

"Our case is not about Dramat, it's about the Constitution, rule of law and whether the minister's decision was lawful," he said.

Dramat was suspended on 23 December, pending a probe into his alleged involvement in the illegal rendition of four Zimbabweans in November 2010.