By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has withdrawn the charges against the suspended SA Police Services (SAPS) National Commissioner Fannie Masemola.
This follows an instruction by the National Director of Public Prosecution (NDPP), Adv Andy Mothibi after a reviewing the charges laid against him and subsequent arrest for the violation of Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) by the Independent Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC).
Masemola was charged with contravening the Public Finance Management Act in connection with the controversial R228-million Medicare24 tender.
It was cancelled a year later, in May 2025, and since then a dozen senior police officers have been formally charged over their role in the awarding of the contract.
The NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said, “The arrangements will now be made for Masemola to appear in court for the purpose of withdrawing the case against him.”
“The process of assessing and reviewing all the cases at IDAC will continue as part of the IDAC Reset Programme,” Kganyago said.
Masemola was the only one who had not been charged with corruption. He was facing four counts of breaching the PMFA Act.
Mothibi said “Enrolling a case for prosecution where evidence is not sufficient to sustain a successful prosecution is not in the public interest. A prosecution the proceeds while evidence is insufficient to sustain a successful prosecution and omits material exculpatory considerations, does not accord with NPA mandate.”
The NDPP will report the matter to IDAC Judge avail the Case Assessment Panel (the Panel) report to investigate the circumstances relating to the prosecution team’s assessment of the evidence, the enrolment of the matter, and the application of the law, to determine if there is any misconduct, added Mothibi.
Masemola is the third police chief to face a criminal investigation while in office.
Jackie Selebi, the country’s longest-serving police boss, was sentenced in 2010 to 15 years in prison after being convicted of taking bribes from an Italian drug lord, Glen Agliotti, in exchange for turning a blind eye to his criminal activity.