National police commissioner Fannie Masemola is back at his desk, and his message to the country is one of service rather than score-settling. For ordinary South Africans, the return of the man who leads the police service carries a direct stake: whether the force can restore public confidence, fight crime and deliver the safety that citizens are entitled to in their homes, streets and communities.
Masemola resumed his duties on Monday after President Cyril Ramaphosa lifted his precautionary suspension, following the withdrawal of criminal charges against him by the National Prosecuting Authority. He was emphatic about his mandate. “I’m here not to go after people; I’m here to do my work,” he said. He told members of the service that he returned “ready to work with all of you”, adding that he was not there to avenge revenge but to lead an organisation that must deliver service to the people of the country. Authority, he reminded his colleagues, is borrowed from the public: “the role that we have been given is a borrowed authority given by the people of this country.”
The circumstances of his absence were unusual. Masemola was charged on 21 April with four counts of contravening section 38 of the Public Finance Management Act in connection with the R360 million Medicare24 health services contract. He was added as the 17th co-accused in a case involving Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, who has been accused of leading a criminal enterprise. On 22 September, the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court withdrew all charges against him after an instruction from National Director of Public Prosecutions Andy Mothibi. Masemola thanked the president for lifting what he described as his temporary suspension, and said his reinstatement reaffirmed the rule of law, institutional integrity and the national interest. He had maintained confidence in the legal process throughout, he said, and remains committed to the rule of law.
His suspension period was not quiet for the police service. His deputy, Shadrack Sibiya, resigned from the SAPS on 12 October during a disciplinary hearing related to allegations that surfaced at the Madlanga Commission. Sibiya faces separate sexual-related charges and has been remanded at Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility. Masemola acknowledged that the events surrounding his suspension had tested the faith and resolve of the police service, and he said he returns determined to unite the organisation, strengthen its institutional integrity and advance its constitutional responsibility to serve and protect the people of South Africa.
For the public, the practical question is what changes on the ground. Masemola said internal processes exist to address management challenges, and that his priority is to clean up the organisation and restore public confidence. He defended rank-and-file officers, arguing that the dedication of the majority must never be undermined by the misconduct of the few. Misconduct should be dealt with, he said, but most members are doing their work. He pointed to everyday evidence of safety, such as people’s ability to withdraw cash from ATMs and shop for groceries, while conceding that much more needs to be done.
Resources, he announced, will be directed towards frontline officers and police stations, including equipment and other tools of the trade, as well as the recruitment of new police trainees. Meanwhile, the SAPS will begin assessing its readiness for the upcoming local government elections, with Gauteng first on the schedule on Monday. Masemola called on those running campaigns to exercise patience so that everyone can exercise their democratic right to campaign and the elections take place peacefully. The festive season safety campaign has also begun, starting in Mpumalanga with a focus on road safety, and he called for intensified efforts to combat gender-based violence, reaffirming that women have the right to feel safe in public spaces and in their homes.
Accountability remains on the agenda. Masemola said he looks forward to the final report of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry and its recommendations to strengthen accountability, address systemic weaknesses and advance necessary reforms within the SAPS. He stressed that the service is bigger than any individual and that its constitutional mandate must take precedence over personal interests, urging senior management to demonstrate discipline and work together because a strong police service cannot be built around personal interests.
He also thanked acting national commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane for serving in the role during his suspension, noting that the suspension had fallen during the annual performance plan cycle and that officers must now meet the targets it sets out. “I acknowledge the past. But I will not allow the past to distract us from going forward,” he said, describing his focus as leadership, institutional renewal and improving the capacity of the SAPS to deliver service, which he framed as a fight against crime.