# Masemola cleared to return as police chief

> South Africa's suspended police commissioner is reinstated after charges are withdrawn, but evidence of flawed investigations into senior officers raises wider accountability questions.
- Title: Masemola cleared to return as police chief · Daily Maverick
- Summary: South Africa's suspended police commissioner is reinstated after charges are withdrawn, but evidence of flawed investigations into senior officers raises…
- Keywords: fannie masemola, south african police service, investigating directorate against corrup, madlanga commission, criminal charges withdrawn, police accountability, andrea johnson, dumisani khumalo, cyril ramaphosa, npa, news, politics
- Source: Daily Maverick — https://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-10-16-vindicated-masemola-to-return-as-saps-boss-as-idac-clean-up-continues
- Author: Vincent Cruywagen
- Published: 2026-10-16T17:35:46+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: fannie masemola, south african police service, investigating directorate against corrup, madlanga commission, criminal charges withdrawn, police accountability, andrea johnson, dumisani khumalo, cyril ramaphosa, npa, news, politics
## Masemola suspension lifted
President Cyril Ramaphosa lifted the precautionary suspension of police commissioner General Fannie Masemola on Friday, October sixteenth, clearing his return to duty on Monday.
## Charges withdrawn
Criminal charges against Masemola were withdrawn after the National Prosecuting Authority found no reasonable prospects of successful prosecution following a review of cases by Idac.
## Six months suspended
Masemola was placed on precautionary suspension on April twenty-third, twenty twenty-six after appearing in Pretoria Magistrates' Court on four counts of contravening the Public Finance Management Act.
## The Medicare contract
The charges stemmed from a controversial three hundred sixty million rand SAPS health-services contract awarded to Medicare twenty-four, associated with alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi Cat Matlala.
## Masemola's defence
Masemola maintained his innocence, telling journalists outside court on April twenty-first: I know that I am not guilty, I am not wrong.

> I know that I am not guilty, I am not wrong.
## Idac investigation flaws
Testimony at the Madlanga Commission in July twenty twenty-six exposed that Idac investigated Masemola without the required complaint referral and that former Idac head Andrea Johnson appeared determined to have him charged.
## Premature arrests
Senior Idac prosecutor advocate Peter Serunye told the commission that Khumalo and six others had been arrested prematurely before investigators gathered critical evidence, pointing to incomplete investigative work.
## Masemola on the investigation
Speaking to BusinessLive on Friday, Masemola said: I do not know what the motive was; I feel they had a greater plan in terms of what they intended on doing.

> I do not know what the motive was; I feel they had a greater plan
## Wider accountability questions
Although the testimony does not establish that Masemola's case was improperly pursued, it raises broader questions about the quality of investigations involving senior police officials and prosecutorial accountability.
## Rival faction under scrutiny
Dismissed deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, seen as from a rival SAPS faction to Masemola, has been in custody since September twenty-first facing six charges including rape and human trafficking.
## Ongoing investigations continue
Former Crime Intelligence deputy head Major-General Feroz Khan, also seen as a rival to Masemola, faces criminal charges in a precious metals case and could face charges for failing to appear at the Madlanga Commission.
## Key takeaway

President Ramaphosa lifted General Fannie Masemola's suspension as national police commissioner after criminal charges against him were withdrawn, but testimony at the Madlanga Commission exposed serious questions about the quality of investigations by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption.