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Masemola scheduled to appear in court next month, while his minister and a deputy are suspended
South Africa’s security cluster faces an unprecedented crisis of integrity as three of the country’s top police officials are now embroiled in allegations of corruption and links to the criminal underworld.
on Wednesday to appear in court next month regarding a multimillion-rand SAPS contract awarded to a firm linked to attempted murder and corruption accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. Police minister Senzo Mchunu has been suspended after allegations of interfering in ongoing investigations, while one of Masemola’s deputies, Lt-GenThe awarding of the R360m tender also led to the arrest of 11 senior police officers on Tuesday: Brig Rachel Matjeng, Capt Brian Neville, Brig Alpheus Ngema, Brig Patrick Nethengwe, Maj-Gen Busisiwe Temba, Brig Kirsty Jonker, Brig Reabetsoe Lenono, Brig Onica Tlhoale, Col Nonjabulo Mngadi, Col Anton Paulsen and Col Johannes Monyai. James Murray, a service provider, and Tumisho Maleka, a procurement officer, have also been arrested.Masemola is expected to be formally charged and will have the dubious distinction of being the third incumbent head of the police force to face criminal proceedings, joining the late Jackie Selebi and Khomotso Phahlane. Selebi was accused of accepting bribes and gifts from gangsters in exchange for providing information about police investigations and preferential police treatment.Adding to the crisis of integrity among the top echelons of the police is that the head of the Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal, Lt-Gen Lesetja Senona, is also under suspicion over links to Matlala. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said an acting appointment may be made by President Cyril Ramaphosa, pending the outcome of any legal proceedings and a determination on whether Masemola was involved in wrongdoing. Masemola serves as the designated accounting officer of the police in terms of the Public Finance Management Act, being responsible for managing the department’s budget and financial matters. He was appointed to the role in March 2022 on the recommendation of a panel chaired by former safety and security minister Sydney Mufamadi. The panel included then minister of police Bheki Cele, retired former commissioner of police George Fivaz, and director-general in the presidency Phindile Baleni. Cele has also been linked to Matlala, who claims he showered the former police minister with wads of cash, an allegation that Cele has denied. Mchunu has been on special leave since July 13 after KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi accused him of interfering in police operations and protecting criminal syndicates. The allegations prompted Ramaphosa to establish a judicial inquiry chaired by erstwhile Constitutional Court justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga. Since then, several high-ranking police officials and metro police officials in Ekurhuleni and Tshwane have been implicated in links to the criminal underworld. Masemola has thus far presented himself as being part of a small clique pushing against the criminal elements in the ranks of the police, alongside the likes of Mkhwanazi. SAPS national commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola says a budget of R5m has been allocated for two months for a newly established special task team to probe police officers implicated at the Madlanga commission of inquiry.The mooted charges against Masemola place Ramaphosa in a politically delicate position that may ultimately force him to dismiss the country’s top police officer. Masemola’s summons has come as a shock because no direct criminal allegation was levelled against him at the inquiry regarding the tender. A key witness, Sgt Fannie Nkosi, had only linked him to Matlala, and he had mainly faced scrutiny on weak oversight in the police.“Matlala would tell me that ‘I am coming to the office, but I am not coming to Sgqoko . I am coming to the national commissioner’, that is now Gen Fannie Masemola, or ‘I am coming to Gen Shibiri’, or ‘I am coming to Gen Fannie’,” Nkosi said. “That is how I learnt to know that Matlala has access to most of the generals in head office, other than Gen Sibiya,” he added. Masemola has previously told Busniess Day the claim is false. “No, I have never met the man . I do not know the man. I have never met him. Unless maybe I met him in the streets and he greeted me. It is false. That is false and a lie,” he said. The commission recently indicated Mkhwanazi would return to respond to allegations he also met Matlala and offered to halt investigations against him in exchange for information about now-suspended Sibiya. The probe into the Matlala contract has exposed how senior police officials were close to individuals who face criminal charges.faces an investigation by the police task team after receiving money from Matlala which he described as a loan he had paid back. The Presidency confirmed on Wednesday that Ramaphosa is aware of the National Prosecuting Authority’s confirmation of charges against Masemola and his scheduled court appearance, as well as the arrests of the 12 senior police officers on a procurement-related matter. “The president, working with the minister of police, is committed to ensuring that the SAPS remains stable and able to continue fulfilling its policing mandate,” it said in a statement. Mufamadi said he is keeping a close eye on proceedings too. “It is very important to make the point that we are a country of laws. Due process is sacrosanct and the law must take its course,” he said.Ramaphosa denies role in disbandment of Political Killings Task Team
Cyril Ramaphosa Police Crisis South African Police Integrity Shadrack Sibiya Investigation Mbuyiseli Madlanga Judicial Inquiry R360 Million SAPS Contract Katiso KT Molefe Underworld Links Police Tender Fraud Senzo Mchunu Suspension
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