By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Former Deputy National Commissioner for Support Services Lieutenant General Francinah Vuma has told Parliament that political and executive interference repeatedly obstructed sensitive investigations, disciplinary processes and major procurement decisions within the police service.
Vuma appeared before an ad-hoc parliamentary committee on Wednesday.
The committee is investigating explosive allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi during a bombshell media briefing in July 2025.
In her testimony, Vuma told the committee that when she was appointed deputy national police commissioner for support services in 2020, she assumed responsibility for overseeing corporate services, supply chain operations and human resources.
She testified that at the time of her suspension in July 2022, she had been tasked with investigating senior officials implicated in wrongdoing after an audit report flagged irregularities in several contracts.
According to her, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola instructed her to stop pursuing those disciplinary processes in May 2022.
The former top cop indicated that disciplinary proceedings against her were initiated under the “expeditious process”, also known as Regulation 9, which allows for swift disciplinary action in cases of serious misconduct.
However, Vuma claimed the process was never concluded.
“The suspension was never uplifted for a period of three and half years up until I retired by the first of February 2026,” she said.
She added that she submitted several protected disclosures to President Cyril Ramaphosa and bodies, including the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), claiming she was being “victimised” within Saps.
The former deputy police commissioner explained that the move was meant to protect her from “occupational detriment”.
Vuma’s suspension stemmed from a 2021 High Court judgement involving her, former national police commissioner Khehla Sitole and former deputy national commissioner Lebeona Jacob Tsumane.
The court ruled that the three officials had failed in their duties by not declassifying and submitting key documents to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), which was probing alleged tender fraud and corruption.
Their appeal bid to overturn the judgment at the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) was unsuccessful.
The documents sought were linked to the procurement of software used for surveillance monitoring and cellphone interception equipment.
The controversy centred around a grabber bought at an inflated price of R45 million for the ANC’s Nasrec elective conference in December 2017.
The deal was called off after IPID investigators were tipped off and alerted Sitole to the unlawfulness of the transaction.
On 13 January 2021, the Pretoria High Court handed down a scathing judgement of the SAPS top brass and their three-year pushback to keep documents about the “procurement” classified and out of the public eye.
The contents of these documents could prove embarrassing for the ANC and particularly a faction within it who are alleged to have attempted to launder the money to swing the Nasrec vote.
The court also found that Sitole as well as Vuma Divisional Commissioner: Financial Management and Administration and Lieutenant-General Lebeona Tsumane, Deputy National Commissioner: Crime Detection had breached their duty.
Vuma further testified that political figures involved themselves in operational disciplinary matters, including cases against senior officers such as former Criminal Intelligence head Lieutenant General Peter Jacobs.
Masemola, she added, warned her that resisting directives would carry consequences.
Beyond institutional pressure, Vuma described escalating threats to her safety.
“I am both scared for my life and livelihood. Both are being threatened because I have taken it upon myself not to be influenced in my decisions and to stand on principle, “she said. Despite multiple disclosures, she said little action followed.
Meanwhile National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza and Secretary to Parliament Xolile George will lay a criminal complaint against controversial forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan after he walked out of an Ad Hoc Committee hearing and allegedly sent a threatening message to a witness.
The parliamentary legal team confirmed the development on Wednesday.
The complaint relates to O’Sullivan’s abrupt walkout when he appeared before the Ad Hoc Committee two weeks ago. During the hearing, O’Sullivan told MPs he needed to catch a flight and left despite attempts by some committee members to stop him.