Ramaphosa axes police chief Masemola over R360m tender scandal

Key topics:Cyril Ramaphosa suspends police chief over fraud caseFannie Masemola faces charges over R360m tender scandalActing chief Puleng Dimpane appointed amid corruption probe.Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox every morning on weekdays. Register here.Support South Africa's bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here.If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..By S'thembile Cele.South African President Cyril Ramaphosa suspended the nation’s police chief, days after he appeared in court in connection with an allegedly fraudulent procurement tender.Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola has been placed on precautionary leave pending the conclusion of his case, Ramaphosa said at a media briefing in the capital, Pretoria, on Thursday. He named Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane as acting commissioner.“It is understandably a cause of great concern for all South Africans that the National Commissioner of Police is in court facing the charges that he’s facing,” the president said. “However, we should not allow the development such as this to weaken our determination or diminish our ability to fight crime and corruption.”Masemola appeared in court on April 21 in a matter related to an irregular health-services contract valued at 360 million rand ($21.8 million). He faces charges of breaching the nation’s Public Finance Management Act..“It is understandably a cause of great concern for all South Africans that the National Commissioner of Police is in court facing the charges that he’s facing,” the president said. “However, we should not allow the development such as this to weaken our determination or diminish our ability to fight crime and corruption.”.Read more:.Police Minister Mchunu suspended over alleged criminal collusion, Ramaphosa launches judicial probe into syndicate infiltrating SA law enforcement.Masemola appeared in court on April 21 in a matter related to an irregular health-services contract valued at 360 million rand ($21.8 million). He faces charges of breaching the nation’s Public Finance Management Act.The commissioner is scheduled to be back in court on May 13 alongside 12 other police officials and businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, who face charges including corruption.Matlala, who’s been accused of attempted murder and money laundering in a separate case, has been implicated by multiple witnesses in an ongoing judicial inquiry into alleged graft within the South African Police Service.Ramaphosa’s decision on Masemola follows less than a year after he suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and set up a commission to investigate allegations that he interfered with a probe into political assassinations. Mchunu has denied wrongdoing.The commission was established after the claims hardened concern that the nation, which suffers from chronic crime, has yet to root out the corruption that flourished during Jacob Zuma’s nine-year rule. Ramaphosa succeeded Zuma as president in 2018.Dimpane has served as chief financial officer of the South African Police Service since 2018, according to its website..Read more:.Tenderpreneur’s penthouse haven for Bheki Cele amid R360m police tender scandal.“I am confident that she has the qualities and the standing necessary to provide effective leadership to the South African Police Service during this challenging period,” Ramaphosa said. “I would like the legal process to take its course.”.© 2026 Bloomberg L.P.

Ramaphosa axes police chief Masemola over R360m tender scandal

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