COMMISSIONER’S POSITION AKIN TO POISONED CHALICE

General Fannie Masemola at the pass out parade

It is now self-evident that the position of the National Police Commissioner in a democratic South Africa is akin to the proverbial poisoned chalice.

Since the advent of government by majority rule it is only Commissioner George Fivas who has diligently served his term as police boss and left the position quietly without any known scandals emerging against him.

This is in contrast to all the Police Commissioners who became his successors as their terms of office were dogged by scandals, court cases and dismissals before they could serve their full terms.

Fivas, a career policeman, was appointed to the position of National Police Commissioner by the late statesman Nelson Mandela in 1995 and worked in that position until the year 2000 when his term officially ended.

He was succeeded by Jackie Selebi, a long time ANC Youth League leader during the days the ANC was in exile.

Selebi had to vacate his position after he was found guilty of having benefitted from a corrupt relationship with drug mogul Glen Agliotti whereby he received bribery payments ranging from R166 000 to R1,2 million.

He was sentenced to 15 years in prison for corruption and defeating the ends of justice and died insisting that he was not guilty of the charges against him and interestingly President Thabo Mneki supported Selebi’s denial of the charges wholeheartedly.

Flamboyant Bheki Cele, s former teacher and MK operative, became police commissioner in 2009 and was removed in 2011 after a board of inquiry found him guilty of misconduct regarding the lease of police headquarters from buildings owned by his alleged associate Roux Shabangu.

The said buildings are Middestad in Pretoria and Transnet in Durban.

The now famous but relatively unknown at the time Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi was appointed acting police commissioner from October 2011 to June 2012.

He was removed from office by Jacob Zuma without any reasons being disclosed to the public.

Former social worker Riyah Phiyega was then appointed to the position in 2012 and served until 2015 when she was sacked regarding the Marikana Massacre.

Khomotso Phahlane succeeded Phiyega in 2015 as an acting police commissioner but got removed in 2017 after evidence of tender-rigging emerged against him.

At the moment Phahlane is on trial with other top police officers in what has been dubbed “The Blue Lights” court case.

Lesetja Mothiba then acted in the position from June 2017 to November 2017 and was removed by Jacob Zuma without any reasons being disclosed to the public.

Khehla Sithole assumed the position in 2017 but got removed after the High Court ordered him to vacate the office as he was not fit to hold the position in 2022.

Fannie Masemola took over in 2022 after being appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa and his future in the position hangs in the balance after he was issued with summonses this past week to appear in court regarding the infamous R360 million police tender awarded to the equally infamous Vusimuzi ” Cat” Matlala.

I have noted with concern that Masemola will be criminally-charged not for personally benefitting from the irregularly-awarded tender, but will be charged for failing to exercise his authority and duties to prevent SAPS funds from being looted in this reg

Now in my opinion this is tantamount to sacking a retail or supermarket manager for the theft committed by his/ her underlings.

And what is also of concern to me is that it seems Masemola is the first person to be charged for this kind of situation because many public/government institutions in South Africa have been looted, yet the managers or Director Generals of such institutions have not been arrested for looting committed by their juniors.

Hard luck Mister Fannie Masemola!