Acting police minister Firoz Cachalia has criticised suspended Mpumalanga police commissioner Daphney Manamela for holding a media briefing that he says did not follow established police communication protocols.
In a media statement published on Monday, the police ministry said Cachalia had noted “with concern” Manamela’s briefing on Sunday, April 19.
“The acting minister of police, Firoz Cachalia, notes with concern the suspended Mpumalanga provincial commissioner’s media briefing held yesterday, which was inconsistent with established professional protocols, including National Instruction 5 of 2017 on media communication within the South African Police Service (SAPS),” the statement read.
The response follows a series of serious allegations made by Manamela during a media briefing in Mbombela on Sunday.
She accused national police commissioner Fannie Masemola of protecting corrupt officers and claimed she was sidelined for acting against corruption within the police.
Manamela alleged her suspension came while she was taking action against officers involved in extortion and corruption and said attempts to get intervention from Masemola had failed.
Among her claims:
- A provincial task team investigating serious crimes was disbanded after her suspension.
- There was interference in political cases.
- Senior leadership failed to act on corruption concerns.
- She also linked Masemola to allegations of a bribe involving Bobby Motaung.
Manamela further alleged interference by former police minister Bheki Cele.
She claimed that during the ANC’s January 8 celebrations in 2024, Cele had pushed for the arrest of a former Mpumalanga MEC without evidence and became upset when she did not comply.
She also alleged interference in the Hillary Gardee murder case.
The police ministry said senior SAPS officials are expected to follow strict communication protocols, warning that failure to do so could amount to misconduct.
“The minister expects all SAPS members, particularly those in senior positions, to adhere strictly to these established standards in their public communications, as non-adherence constitutes misconduct,” the statement said.
The statement also said that allegations of wrongdoing should be handled through proper channels.
“Any information relating to alleged misconduct or corruption must be referred to the appropriate authorities, including the Madlanga Commission, which is mandated to investigate and address such allegations,” the statement said.
In a separate interview with the SABC, SAPS spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said the police service would first obtain full details of the allegations before deciding on a course of action.
The unfolding dispute has placed SAPS leadership under intense scrutiny, with potential investigations likely to follow depending on the evidence presented.
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