Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia has been tasked with providing President Cyril Ramaphosa with options on how to handle the ongoing tender scandal rocking the South African Police Service (SAPS), which has drawn National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola into the spotlight.
Cachalia confirmed on Thursday that he held preliminary discussions with Ramaphosa and Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi on the sidelines of a Cabinet meeting. He plans to consult further with SAPS human resources leadership before submitting a memorandum outlining possible courses of action.
The developments stem from a controversial R360 million health services tender awarded in 2024 to Medicare24 Tshwane District, a company linked to businessman Vusimuzi Cat Matlala. The tender, intended to provide healthcare to police members in the Tshwane district, was later cancelled amid allegations of procurement irregularities.
Masemola has been summoned to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on 21 April 2026.
Cachalia stressed that Masemola faces charges under Section 38 of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA), which sets standards for accounting officers in procurement decisions. He clarified that the commissioner has not been charged with corruption.
“General Masemola has been charged. The charges are under Section 38 of the Public Finance Management Act,” Cachalia told eNCA. He added that the matter is serious but Masemola remains in his position pending the president’s decision.
The case has intensified scrutiny of SAPS leadership, with at least a dozen other senior police officials also implicated. Opposition parties, including the DA, have called for Masemola’s immediate precautionary suspension to protect the integrity of the force.
Criminologists have warned that the summons deepens public concerns about endemic corruption within the police service and the challenges of maintaining credible leadership at the highest levels.
President Ramaphosa is expected to make an announcement on the way forward once he receives Cachalia’s recommendations. The scandal comes at a sensitive time for SAPS, which has faced repeated questions over procurement practices and its ability to combat crime effectively.
Masemola has indicated his willingness to cooperate with investigations. The matter continues to unfold as pressure mounts for accountability at the top of South Africa’s premier law enforcement agency.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
