Suspended national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola will resume his duties on Monday after President Cyril Ramaphosa lifted his precautionary suspension following the withdrawal of criminal charges against him.
In a statement on Friday, the Presidency confirmed that Ramaphosa had lifted the suspension, which had been imposed in April after Masemola appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on charges relating to the alleged contraventions of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane served as acting national police commissioner during Masemola’s suspension.
The charges stemmed from allegations that Masemola failed to exercise proper oversight over a controversial South African Police Service (SAPS) health services contract awarded to a company linked to alleged crime boss Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
The broader tender was valued at about R360 million, while the contract at the centre of the court proceedings was reported to be worth R228m.
Masemola faced four counts of contravening the PFMA over his alleged failure to prevent irregularities in the procurement process and ensure accountability. Unlike other accused in the broader tender case, he was not charged with fraud or corruption.
On 15 September, National Director of Public Prosecutions Andy Mothibi ordered the withdrawal of the charges after a review of the evidence and the prosecution process. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said the review found no reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution against Masemola.
The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court withdrew the charges on 22 September.
The NPA’s decision followed a review of evidence gathered by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac), alongside assessments by a case assessment panel and independent senior counsel.
The NPA said Mothibi would report the matter to the Idac judge and make the case assessment panel’s report available to investigate the prosecution team’s assessment of the evidence, the enrolment of the case and the application of the law, to determine whether there had been any misconduct.
In announcing the lifting of the suspension, the Presidency welcomed his return and thanked Dimpane for serving as acting national commissioner during the interim.