- President Cyril Ramaphosa has lifted General Fannie Masemola’s suspension after prosecutors dropped charges linked to a R360-million police health services tender.
- The Madlanga Commission has heard claims that corruption investigators targeted senior police officers without enough evidence and rushed to bring criminal charges.
National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola returns to work on Monday, 19 October, after spending six months on suspension over corruption charges that prosecutors have now dropped.
The 62-year-old police boss takes back control of the South African Police Service with just five months left before his term ends.
President Cyril Ramaphosa lifted his suspension on Friday, 16 October, clearing the way for his return.
Masemola is expected to meet provincial commissioners, deputy national commissioners and divisional commissioners at the Tshwane Academy at 7.30am.
He is also expected to address journalists.
His return comes as the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry hears troubling claims about the investigators who brought criminal charges against senior police officers.
Masemola was suspended on 23 April after appearing in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on four charges under the Public Finance Management Act.
The charges were linked to a R360-million police health services tender awarded to Medicare24, a company associated with businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Masemola was among 13 police officials charged over the contract.
He maintained his innocence from the start.
“I know that I am not guilty, I am not wrong,” he told journalists outside court in April.
But the case against him later collapsed.
National Director of Public Prosecutions Andy Mothibi ordered the charges withdrawn in September after prosecutors found no reasonable chance of securing a conviction.
The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court formally withdrew the charges on 22 September.
Masemola remained suspended until Ramaphosa gave him permission to return.
The Madlanga Commission has since heard claims that investigators from the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption went after senior police officers without following proper procedures.
In July, prosecutor Drushantha Ramsamy told the commission that former directorate head Andrea Johnson oversaw an investigation called Project Diversion.
The investigation targeted Masemola and former Crime Intelligence boss Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo.
The commission heard claims that investigators pursued Masemola without the required referral and that Johnson wanted him charged.
Johnson later admitted that some information supplied by her team was not true.
Another senior prosecutor, Peter Serunye, told the commission that Khumalo and six others were arrested before investigators had gathered important evidence.
Johnson defended the investigations, saying they concerned possible abuse of police systems for private interests.
The testimony has raised questions about how investigators handled the cases, although it has not proved that the case against Masemola was brought improperly.
Masemola believes there may have been a bigger plan behind the investigation.
“I do not know what the motive was; I feel, of course, they [had] a greater plan in terms of what they intended on doing,” he told BusinessLive.
“My plan is to continue serving South Africans.”
His return comes while other senior police officers face serious accusations.
Dismissed deputy police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya faces six criminal charges, including rape, human trafficking and sexual grooming of a minor. He has pleaded not guilty.
Sibiya has also denied separate claims that he accepted bribes.
Former deputy Crime Intelligence boss Major-General Feroz Khan faces criminal charges linked to a precious metals case.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia welcomed Masemola’s return, saying police leaders could now focus on their work and rebuild trust in the service.
Ramaphosa thanked Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane, who led the police during Masemola’s suspension.
Masemola returns to a police service still facing serious questions about corruption, criminal influence and divisions among its top officers.
