By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Lieutenant General (Dr) Molefe Isaac Fani, Divisional Commissioner of Supply Chain Management in the South African Police Service (SAPS), has been served with a Notice of Intention to Suspend in terms of the SAPS Discipline Regulations.
Fullview understands the notice follows findings by the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) relating to his tenure at the National Treasury, where he served as the Acting Chief Procurement Officer.
The findings relate to a contract that was declared irregular due to non-compliance with Supply Chain Management prescripts, conflict of interest, and wasteful expenditure.
Fani has been given the opportunity to submit written representations explaining why he should not be suspended.
He has previously testified before Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee investigating allegations made by Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, where he was questioned on various high-value contracts awarded under his watch including the controversial R360-million health services tender.
Fani acknowledged failures in the tender but insisted the system, not him, broke down. He told MPs the committee does not redo the work of earlier stages in the process.
“If we were to re-check every single document… it would defeat the purpose of adjudication.”
Fani said that at the time the contract was approved, no major concerns were flagged to his committee. “All members indicated they were satisfied with the submission,” he added.
The situation shifted dramatically on Thursday, 23 April 2026 when President Cyril Ramaphosa placed SAPS police commissioner Fannie Masemola on precautionary suspension, pending the outcome of his criminal trial linked to the same tender.
As head of supply chain management, Fani oversees how the police award contracts – placing him at the heart of the system now under scrutiny.
Under public service protocols, a notice of intention to suspend is a preliminary step that allows the affected official to respond before any final decision is taken.
Fani entered SAPS in 2022 from the National Treasury, where he served as acting chief procurement officer and worked on state spending controls, including oversight linked to the SAPS budget.