Breaking | Fannie Masemola cleared of charges over R360m SAPS tender, tell me about this news in (https://www.msn.com/en-za/news/other/breaking-fannie-masemola-cleared-of-charges-over-r360m-saps-tender/ar-AA2cJk5Q?ocid=BingNewsVerp)
22-09-2026
The news report covers the formal withdrawal of criminal charges against South Africa’s National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.
Key Details of the Story:The Charges Withdrawn: General Fannie Masemola has been officially cleared after the court withdrew charges connecting him to an irregular R360 million South African Police Service (SAPS) procurement tender.
The Tender in Question: The controversy centered around a R360 million health services contract awarded in June 2024 to Medicare 24 Tshwane District, a company associated with controversial businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. The contract was meant to handle wellness screenings, pre-employment medical assessments, and ill-health retirement evaluations for SAPS personnel.
Allegations & Irregularities: The tender drew heavy scrutiny following internal audits that flagged major irregularities, including bid-fronting, inadequate evaluation committee expertise, and failure to comply with National Treasury procurement timelines. Before being cancelled in 2025, roughly R50 million had already been paid out under the contract.
Co-Accused: The broader investigation carried out by the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) led to arrests and court appearances for businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, company executives, and 12 senior SAPS officers on charges of fraud, corruption, and contraventions of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
Masemola’s Stance: Masemola maintained throughout the proceedings that he was innocent, had not signed off on the contract or received any funds from Matlala, and had cooperated with the legal process to uphold the integrity of his office. The withdrawal of charges marks the formal conclusion of the prosecution’s case against him in this matter.