Madlanga Commission hears claims Fannie Masemola was targeted in Medicare24 probe

The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has been rocked by allegations that General Fannie Masemola, the suspended National Police Commissioner, was the victim of a calculated witch-hunt. Testimony suggests he was unfairly singled out during the probe into the Medicare24 tender scandal.

State Advocate Drushantha Ramsamy informed the commission that investigators received specific orders to dig for dirt on Masemola. These instructions involved scouring the electronic devices of Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala, an accused individual in an unrelated attempted murder case.

No Evidence Found

Despite these aggressive efforts to find a connection, Ramsamy noted that the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) found no proof linking the commissioner to the matter. She stated that prosecutors had not identified Masemola as a suspect at any point.

The advocate expressed her discomfort with the situation, telling the commission that the directive felt like a deliberate attempt to manufacture a case against the police chief. She described the pressure to find family connections or illicit links as deeply concerning.

Allegations of Parliamentary Sabotage

This is not the only accusation regarding Masemola's treatment. Earlier testimony alleged that former IDAC head Advocate Andrea Johnson instructed her staff to keep Masemola in the dark about active investigations before his appearance in Parliament.

According to the testimony, the plan was to let the commissioner testify before the Portfolio Committee on Policing without being aware of the probe. Ramsamy alleged that Johnson explicitly told the team to "let him lie at the Portfolio Committee."

Clandestine Operations Uncovered

Following these revelations, the inquiry moved into a closed session to hear from a confidential witness known only as 'Witness P.' This testimony is expected to cover a secret counter-intelligence operation allegedly tied to a drug syndicate in Durban.

The Madlanga Commission continues its work to root out corruption and criminal misconduct within South Africa’s law enforcement agencies. The focus remains on whether state structures were weaponized for internal political battles.