ActionSA Notes Decision by President Ramaphosa to Suspend National Police Commissioner
Press Statement by Dereleen James MP
ActionSA Member of Parliament
ActionSA notes the decision by Cyril Ramaphosa to suspend National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola. Sadly, today marks another indication of the growing instability obstructing law enforcement from fulfilling its most basic mandate to protect South Africa and her people.
Today adds to a growing pattern of suspensions at the highest levels of law enforcement, including that of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
While this suspension was widely expected, given the seriousness of the allegations faced by General 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 within SAPS.
ActionSA supports decisive action to protect the integrity of SAPS. 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.
At the same time, other members of the executive, such as Minister Sisisi Tolashe and Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, are facing serious allegations, further reinforcing the perception of a government losing control over its own integrity.
ActionSA will closely monitor the appointment of Lt. Gen Puleng Dimpane as Acting National Police Commissioner. This appointment must be to clean up the South African Police Service, not to frustrate or delay the work of this critical institution.
ActionSA Notes Decision by President Ramaphosa to Suspend National Police Commissioner
ActionSA notes the decision by Cyril Ramaphosa to suspend National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola. Sadly, today marks another indication of the growing instability obstructing law enforcement from fulfilling its most basic mandate to protect South Africa and her people.
Today adds to a growing pattern of suspensions at the highest levels of law enforcement, including that of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
While this suspension was widely expected, given the seriousness of the allegations faced by General 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 within SAPS.
ActionSA supports decisive action to protect the integrity of SAPS. 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.
At the same time, other members of the executive, such as Minister Sisisi Tolashe and Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, are facing serious allegations, further reinforcing the perception of a government losing control over its own integrity.
ActionSA will closely monitor the appointment of Lt. Gen Puleng Dimpane as Acting National Police Commissioner. This appointment must be to clean up the South African Police Service, not to frustrate or delay the work of this critical institution.