The South African Police Service (SAPS) just keeps on racking up controversies at record speed.
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola appeared in a court in Pretoria on Tuesday, 21 April 2026, thereby officially becoming an accused in a case.
His time in the dock made local and international news.
Masemola now faces charges alongside several senior colleagues, as well as Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, who is arguably South Africa’s most high-profile criminal accused (if you overlook Masemola himself).
Back-to-back controversy
The day before Masemola’s court appearance, on Monday, 20 April, Sergeant Fannie Nkosi, of Gauteng’s Organised Crime Unit, was in a courtroom dock facing firearm-related and docket theft charges.
And that’s not all.
On Sunday, 19 April, suspended Mpumalanga Police Commissioner Daphney Manamela suddenly emerged from the SAPS woodwork and held a rather random press conference during which she made allegations about cover-ups, attributing some to Masemola.
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Mkhwanazi’s press conference sparked democratic South Africa’s biggest policing implosion that has seen the arrests and suspension of police officers, among others.
President Cyril Ramaphosa also ordered the creation of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry to investigate Mkhwanazi’s allegations – this in itself has resulted in investigations and arrests.
Manamela’s press conference on Sunday, meanwhile, did not garner as much attention as Mkhwanazi’s.
It was also visually very different – Mkhwanazi had worn Special Task Force camouflage and armed police officers had flanked him when he addressed the media.
This left some viewers concerned about a potential coup d’état.
Manamela, meanwhile, wore a denim jacket and a yellow peaked cap. There was nothing coup-esque about it.
More claims among cops
A little background on her – she was suspended in 2023 for issues including allegedly receiving gifts at police events on four previous occasions.
Manamela fought a legal battle against this, and a high court in Gauteng set aside her suspension.
It appears Manamela was again suspended after this saga.
On Sunday, during her lengthy, detail-dense press briefing, she informed the public of what she termed “the wrongdoing of the South African Police Service in Mpumalanga.”
Manamela said “our dignity has been tainted” and essentially claimed that Masemola had sidelined her because she was exposing corruption.
She also made allegations that he had accepted a bribe and named, among others, former police minister Bheki Cele in her claims.
Manamela said she chose the press briefing route because previous attempts to highlight the issues she detailed had not worked.
Some sources tied to policing have questioned the timing and manner of her claims on Sunday.
Investigations and a rebuke
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe responded to Manamela’s claims, telling the SABC that they would not be ignored.
Mathe said investigative processes would determine the veracity of the claims, which were contained in a “detailed dossier,” and which, as of Sunday after her press briefing, had not been officially handed to police.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia was unimpressed with Manamela’s actions. Her media briefing “was inconsistent with established professional protocols” of the police service.
A statement on Cachalia’s behalf said: “The Minister expects all SAPS members, particularly those in senior positions, to adhere strictly to these established standards in their public communications, as non-adherence constitutes misconduct.
“Any information relating to alleged misconduct or corruption must be referred to the appropriate authorities, including the Madlanga Commission, which is mandated to investigate and address such allegations.”
Detained and in the dock
That was Sunday’s police saga, which brings us to Monday’s matter.
Sergeant Fannie Nkosi, who has testified before the Madlanga Commission, was back in the dock in Pretoria North.
He faces charges of failing to safeguard firearms and ammunition and of defeating the ends of justice.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had earlier explained that a task team investigating what was emerging from the Madlanga Commission “received a tip-off regarding the unlawful ammunition at the accused’s place of residence.”
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National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola says he believes he is innocent in the matter involving the R360-million tender awarded to Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala. Masemola faces four counts of violating the Public Finance Management Act. Tune in to #eNCA, channel #DStv403 pic.twitter.com/GO98NSk9qT— eNCA (@eNCA) April 21, 2026
Masemola is set to appear in the dock with them when this case resumes on 13 May.
Speaking to eNCA on Tuesday, he suggested that he would plead not guilty.
“I did what I was supposed to do,” he told a journalist.
“I don’t know why I should be here.”
72 hours atop decades of cop turmoil
Masemola’s court appearance was the third major South African policing controversy to develop over 72 hours.
While the case is still in an early phase, his appearance in the dock, a space designated for suspected crooks, is a little reminiscent of what happened to Jackie Selebi, once South Africa’s highest-ranking cop, who was accused of corruption.
Selebi was convicted.
It also brings to mind a matter involving another former acting police commissioner, Khomotso Phahlane, who has denied criminal accusations levelled against him.
These cases underpin the 72 hours that the SAPS has just been through, as well as decades of deeper infighting and factionalism. DM