General Fannie Masemola, National Police Commissioner. (Photo: GCIS)
Pres. Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to Suspending National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola is yet another indication of the increasing instability that prevents law enforcement from fulfilling its most basic mandate – the protection of South Africa and its people.
Dereleen James, ActionSA MP, says this event contributes to a growing pattern of suspensions at the highest levels of law enforcement, including that of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
“Although this suspension was widely expected, given the seriousness of the allegations against Masemola, South Africans cannot be expected to accept a cycle of acting appointments. The continued reliance on ‘acting’ appointments in critical positions such as the Minister of Police and the National Commissioner undermines stability in the SAPS.”
ActionSA supports decisive action to protect the integrity of the police. “However, these repeated reactive interventions point to a deeper failure of leadership and oversight. The president has allowed a situation to develop where allegations of criminality and misconduct at the highest levels of government and law enforcement have become commonplace.”
She says at the same time other members of the executive authority, such as Minister Sisisi Tolashe (social development) and Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa (electricity and energy), are being faced with serious allegations, which further strengthens the perception of a government losing control of its own integrity.
James says ActionSA will consider the appointment of lt. gen. Puleng Dimpane as Acting National Police Commissioner is closely monitoring. This appointment should be to clean up the police service, not to frustrate or delay the work of this critical institution.