Pretoria – The South African Policing Union (SAPU) has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to reinstate the suspended National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola.
The call follows testimony on Friday, 14 August 2026, by Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) Advocate Drushantha Ramsamy, who told the Madlanga Commission that, despite prosecutors finding no prima facie case or link between General Masemola, his family and Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala’s dodgy tender, they were instructed to probe him.
“It was clear, at least to me, that General Masemola was a target, and the rules would be broken to catch him, by any means necessary,” Advocate Ramsamy told the Commission.
In a statement on Monday, 17 August 2026, SAPU said evidence led before the ongoing Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System points to the “unfair targeting” of General Masemola.
Even though General Masemola cancelled the multi-million-rand SAPS health-services/Medicare24 contract after an internal audit identified irregularities, he was suspended on suspicion of looking the other way.
The three-year contract, valued at around R360 million, was awarded in June 2024 to Matlala’s Medicare24.
It was, however, terminated by General Masemola in April 2025.
SAPU said the evidence “raised serious questions” about how IDAC conducted the probe as well as the legal basis and handling of the case against General Masemola and other senior police officers.
Masemola was charged with breaching the Public Finance Management Act, a matter which remains before the courts.
Commenting on IDAC’s shady manoeuvres, the union spokesperson Lesiba Thobakgale said: “The developments have strengthened SAPU’s concerns that General Masemola may have been unfairly treated.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa must stop the party at SAPS and restore stability before it is too late.”
SAPU further appealed to the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), Advocate Andy Mothibe, to give clarity on the process of the charges laid against General Masemola.
The police union also called on NDPP Advocate Mothibe to urgently pronounce on the status of the charges against General Masemola.
“The country deserves to know: Are the charges being withdrawn or will they proceed?” Thobakgale asked.
After the shenanigans at IDAC were exposed at the commission, charges of fraud and corruption levelled against several other senior police officers were withdrawn before pleas were entered.
So far, Advocate Andy Mothibe has withdrawn charges against a number of senior police officers, including:
- Lieutenant‑General Dumisani Khumalo (Crime Intelligence head)
- Brigadier Dineo Mokwele
- Major‑General Nozipho Madondo
- Major‑General Philani Lushaba
