President Cyril Ramaphosa has 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 Pretoria on Thursday.
He named Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane as acting commissioner.
Watch: Ramaphosa addresses the media
“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,” Ramaphosa 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 21 April in a matter related to an irregular health-services contract valued at R360 million.
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He faces charges of breaching the nation’s Public Finance Management Act.
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The commissioner is scheduled to be back in court on 13 May alongside 12 other police officials and businessman Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, who face charges including corruption.
Matlala, who has 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 (SAPS).
Ramaphosa’s decision on Masemola comes 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.
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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 SAPS since 2018, according to its website.
“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,” he added.
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