National Police Commissioner, Gen. Fannie Masemola, in court
Image: Kamogelo Moichela / IOL News
The Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision on Thursday to place National Commissioner Fannie Masemola on precautionary suspension and appoint Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane as Acting National Commissioner.
Masemola’s suspension follows a case in which he faces four charges linked to a R360 million contract awarded by the South African Police Service to a company owned by Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. He has maintained that he acted lawfully and expects to be cleared of wrongdoing.
Cameron described the decision as a necessary step to restore stability and credibility within SAPS, particularly as public confidence in the institution has been under pressure. He said strong leadership is required to rebuild trust and ensure the integrity of the police service.
While noting that the suspension does not imply guilt, Cameron stressed that accountability at senior levels cannot be compromised. He said South Africans must have confidence that those responsible for enforcing the law are held to the highest standards.
He added that the move should set a precedent across the policing system, ensuring misconduct and maladministration are met with consistent consequences. Transparency in investigations, leadership accountability and restoring community trust were highlighted as key priorities.
The committee has called on Acting Commissioner Dimpane to entrench accountability across the organisation. This includes instituting internal disciplinary processes against officials implicated in matters linked to the Madlanga Commission and the Ad Hoc Committee while investigations continue.
Cameron said accountability must be embedded in everyday governance rather than only emerging during crises, warning that a reactive system undermines democratic principles.
Further action is expected against senior officials implicated in procurement irregularities, including SAPS Supply Chain Management Divisional Commissioner Lieutenant General Molefe Fani, linked to the Tshwane Medicare 24 contract.
The committee has consistently maintained that SAPS members implicated in wrongdoing must face both criminal and internal disciplinary processes. Concerns about weak internal controls were raised in September 2025, following engagements with the Auditor-General of South Africa, which found irregular expenditure had risen to R640 million.
Additional concerns included inadequate training of Bid Evaluation Committee members and failures in due diligence during tender adjudication. The committee has called for action against several senior officials, including Lieutenant General Fani, Major General Mzwandile Tiyo, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya and Major General Patrick Mbotho.
Cameron warned that a lack of visible consequences in some cases risks creating the perception that certain individuals are protected, undermining efforts to restore public trust.
He said the appointment of an acting national commissioner presents an opportunity to stabilise SAPS, reinforce ethical leadership and refocus on its core mandate of fighting crime and protecting citizens.
Cameron reiterated that individuals implicated in ongoing investigations should be suspended pending finalisation of those processes, adding that the way forward must be guided by transparency, accountability and ethical governance.
The committee has also called on the acting Minister of Police and the acting national commissioner to outline a clear plan for appointing a suitably qualified candidate to the position permanently, noting the importance of strong financial and governance expertise in managing SAPS.
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