A South African High Court has said the appointment of Berning Ntlemeza as head of an elite police investigation unit is unlawful and must be revoked, local media reported on Friday.

Two local non-governmental organisations, Freedom Under Law and the Helen Suzman Foundation, had applied to the court to have Ntlemeza removed as head of the Directorate of Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks. (Reporting by Ed Stoddard; Editing by Gareth Jones)