Suspended national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola was allegedly singled out in an investigation linked to businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, despite investigators finding no evidence connecting the two, the Madlanga Commission has heard.
The allegation was made by Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) prosecutor Drushantha Ramsamy during her testimony before the commission on Friday. Her evidence has raised fresh questions about how investigations involving senior police officials were conducted under former IDAC head Advocate Andrea Johnson.
Ramsamy told the commission that she became concerned after being instructed to analyse Matlala’s electronic devices in an attempt to establish whether there were links between him, Masemola and the police commissioner’s daughter.
According to Ramsamy, there was no evidence at the time suggesting that Masemola was connected to Matlala, who is facing serious criminal allegations and has been at the centre of investigations into a controversial SAPS health services tender.
“I could understand why there would be a focus on communication between Mr Matlala and these individuals on the device, and perhaps even General Shadrack Sibiya. However, General Masemola’s name seemed misplaced to me,” Ramsamy told the commission.
She questioned why investigators would also be looking for possible links involving Masemola’s daughter when there was no evidence pointing to a relationship between the police commissioner and Matlala.
“Why would they want to look for links with Gen Masemola’s daughter, investigate Gen Masemola, insofar as Mr Matlala is concerned, when there was absolutely nothing pointing to any link with Gen Masemola?” she asked.
Ramsamy said the instructions left her questioning how Johnson was receiving information about potential suspects and whether proper investigative and prosecutorial procedures were being followed.
“There’s never an explanation, but Adv Johnson always has this information, and then she issues instructions,” she said.
The prosecutor said that, in her view, the pattern eventually led to a troubling conclusion about Masemola’s position in the investigation.
“It was clear, at least to me, that General Masemola was a target, and the rules would be broken to catch him, by any means necessary,” Ramsamy testified.
She added: “My further concern was where was Advocate Johnson getting the information regarding the potential suspects, especially General Masemola?”
The evidence comes against the backdrop of KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s explosive July 2025 media briefing, in which he raised allegations of political interference, organised crime infiltration and links involving senior political and law-enforcement figures. The subsequent Madlanga Commission has been investigating allegations of criminality, corruption and interference within South Africa’s criminal justice system.
Ramsamy said that while Mkhwanazi’s allegations provided grounds for investigators to examine communications involving people named in his presentation, Masemola’s inclusion was difficult to understand.
She also testified about growing tensions within IDAC, saying Johnson instructed prosecutors to stop communicating by email and instead use signed office notes.
“I needed a reason to get off the matters immediately. I just knew, after the meeting where we were told we should stop sending emails, that there would be more illegalities,” Ramsamy said.
Ramsamy further told the commission that she had requested to be removed from the matters because of safety concerns. She said she was subsequently warned that senior figures were allegedly plotting to have her arrested in an effort to discredit her before parliamentary committees or commissions could be established.
Despite her allegations about the conduct of some officials, Ramsamy stressed that she did not want the work of IDAC’s broader staff to be tarnished.
“There are very good people that work at IDAC, and who do amazing work in the pursuit of justice. I hope that we will not be painted with the same tainted brush as Advocate Johnson, and the investigators, Mr Perumal and Padayachee,” she said.
The testimony adds another layer to the controversy surrounding the investigation of Masemola, who was later charged under the Public Finance Management Act in connection with the controversial Medicare24 tender. The commission has previously heard questions about the basis for some of the allegations against him.
Ramsamy has now concluded her testimony, with the commission continuing to examine evidence surrounding alleged political interference, criminal networks and the conduct of investigators and prosecutors involved in some of the country’s most sensitive corruption investigations.
