ANC members in parliament call on Ramaphosa to act against Masemola

Caucus says credibility of the SAPS is significantly eroded when its highest-ranking officer is embroiled in legal battles over financial misconduct

April 22, 2026 at 4:25 pm

The ANC caucus of parliament’s portfolio committee on police has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to act against national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola following his appearance in court.

Masemola has been charged with four counts of contravening the Public Finance Management Act. The charges relate to a R360m tender awarded to Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.

The parliamentary group called Masemola’s formal charging a “grave concern.”

“These charges strike at the very heart of the integrity of our law enforcement agencies. As the accounting officer of the SAPS, the national commissioner is entrusted with the sacred duty of ensuring that public funds are managed with the highest degree of transparency and accountability.”

Despite the caucus’s belief in the “innocent until proven guilty” principle, it maintains that there is a concern about the scrutiny brought about by these revelations, the group added.

“The gravity of these allegations, particularly in the context of a wider probe by both the Parliamentary Ad Hoc committee and the Madlanga commission into institutional corruption cannot be understated.”

“It [the prosecution] has the potential to demoralise the thousands of hard-working, honest police officers who risk their lives daily to keep South Africans safe. It goes without saying that the credibility of the SAPS is significantly eroded when its highest-ranking officer is embroiled in legal battles over financial misconduct.”

They called on the president to act decisively as the stability of SAPS was a matter of national security.

“We call upon President Ramaphosa to exercise his executive authority ... We cannot allow a situation where the leadership of our primary law enforcement agency remains in a state of paralysis.

“We urge the president to take the necessary administrative steps to ensure the work of the police continues without distraction. The ANC remains committed to the professionalisation of the SAPS and will continue to exercise its oversight role to ensure that no individual, regardless of rank, is above the law.”