Safety and Security Minister Nathi Mthethwa has requested President Kgalema Motlanthe to replace suspended national police commissioner Jackie Selebi, an official said on Wednesday.

"[The minister] has made a representation to the president, putting the facts in terms of making sure that a new permanent commissioner takes over, to make sure there is control of the SA Police Force," said Mthethwa's spokesman, Hangwani Mulaudzi.

The statement comes after Mthethwa hinted in several radio interviews this week that he believed it was time for Selebi, who is facing charges of corruption and defeating the ends of justice, to leave the police force.

Selebi will go on trial in the Johannesburg High Court on April 14 to face the charges relating to payments of about R1.2 million made to Selebi.

The state alleges that convicted drug trafficker Glenn Agliotti, murdered mining entrepreneur Brett Kebble and former Hyundai boss and mining entrepreneur Billy Rautenbach and other "relevant corporate entities" made corrupt payments to Selebi between January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2005.

Selebi was suspended in January 2008 when he also quit as head of Interpol.

The chief prosecutor at the time, Vusi Pikoli, has maintained that he himself was suspended by former president Thabo Mbeki because of the decision to charge Selebi.

Last June, Mbeki -- who has since been recalled from office -- extended Selebi's contract by a year.

Tim Williams is currently the acting police commissioner.

AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel on Wednesday said he supported Mthethwa's call for the appointment of a permanent police commissioner, even if Selebi was found not guilty on the charges against him.

"During Selebi's service period he failed miserably to reach government's objective of a seven to ten percent reduction in crime," Kriel said.

He added that he hoped the new national commissioner "would not be an ANC politician who is simply redeployed.

"The time has come that the SAPS is again led by an experienced police member," said Kriel.

However, the South African Police Union on Wednesday questioned the motives of those calling for the speedy appointment of a new national police commissioner.

"The position of the national police commissioner is an administrative job and to us as police officers on the ground there is {no} difference between the acting national police commissioner and a permanent national police commissioner.

"We fail to understand why politicians are so desperate... to have a permanent commissioner now - maybe it is because of elections," the union said in a statement.