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Masemola Suspended as Police Commissioner; Puleng Dimpane Becomes Acting Chief

The suspension signals a push to steady SAPS leadership as a procurement case linked to Medicare24 heads to court on May 13.

Overview

  • President Cyril Ramaphosa, who announced the move Thursday, placed Fannie Masemola on precautionary suspension and named Lieutenant‑General Puleng Dimpane acting national commissioner.
  • Masemola faces four counts under the Public Finance Management Act for alleged failures as SAPS accounting officer on a 2024 health‑services tender, and he denies wrongdoing.
  • Prosecutors will join his case to that of Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and 16 others on May 13 in Pretoria in a matter tied to a R360 million Medicare24 contract that was later canceled.
  • The Madlanga Commission’s public hearings helped expose procurement lapses in SAPS, and political parties welcomed the suspension while pressing for stronger oversight and fewer acting appointments.
  • Dimpane, the police service’s chief financial officer since 2018, is tasked with restoring stability and tightening supply‑chain controls that the president identified as a weak point for corruption.