President Cyril Ramaphosa has suspended South Africa’s national police commissioner Fannie Masemola after he appeared in court this week on charges linked to a controversial multimillion‑dollar health contract.
Police chief financial officer Puleng Dimpane has been appointed acting national commissioner.
Masemola was charged on Tuesday with contravening the Public Finance Management Act over alleged failures in his oversight role during the awarding of a US$21 million South African Police Service (SAPS) health contract that has since been cancelled and is now under criminal investigation.
He denies the allegations.
Ramaphosa said the “seriousness” of the charges and the importance of the police commissioner’s role in leading the fight against crime required that Masemola be placed on precautionary suspension until the case is concluded.
Dimpane is known for publicly raising concerns about weak accountability for irregular expenditure within the police service.
In testimony before Parliament last year, she warned of a “culture” in which senior managers failed to treat irregular spending with the seriousness it required.
Ramaphosa described her as a leader with a reputation for professionalism and integrity.
JN/APA