Suspended Mpumalanga Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Semakaleng Manamela has accused senior South African Police Service (SAPS) officials, including National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola, of accepting bribes and interfering in provincial investigations.
Manamela made the claims during a media briefing held in response to her suspension in 2023 over separate allegations of corruption, fraud, nepotism and misconduct. She reportedly sought to reopen certain cases that had gone cold or been closed, actions she suggested faced resistance from higher levels within the SAPS.
Security strategist Andy Mashaile, speaking shortly after the briefing, described the allegations as touching on deep-seated issues of criminality at both junior and senior levels within the police. He urged Manamela to provide concrete evidence, such as emails, WhatsApp communications or formal representations to the national commissioner, stating that “the law must take its own course” and that “justice is impersonal and impartial.”
Mashaile noted that he had watched the full press conference and acknowledged that problems of the kind described by Manamela — including corruption involving senior officers — are known to exist within policing circles but have often been shielded from public view. He highlighted specific examples, including accounts from a captain in a specialised crime-fighting unit and station commanders in Mpumalanga, as well as a witness prepared to submit a statement detailing alleged criminality involving police officers in the province.
He pointed to patterns suggesting Manamela may have been suspended after raising uncomfortable issues, describing her as someone who acted like “a cat amongst the pigeons.” Mashaile also referenced broader concerns, such as political interference, including alleged delays linked to a former minister, and instances of extortion.
The security analyst argued that these new claims fall squarely within the mandate of the ongoing Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which is investigating criminality, political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system. He suggested the commission’s scope already covers such matters and predicted significant repercussions, referring metaphorically to a “hurricane” that could sweep through Mpumalanga, exposing corrupt officers, station commanders and their alleged criminal associates.
On questions of institutional stability, Mashaile addressed the position of National Commissioner Masemola, who faces a court appearance on 21 April. He stated that once summoned as an accused rather than merely a suspect, the national commissioner could not ethically oversee or receive reports from anti-corruption task teams established to probe these issues. Mashaile described the current arrangements — including the possibility of an acting national commissioner — as a strategically sound approach by the criminal justice cluster leadership, while emphasising that any future appointment process for the top position should remain open and merit-based.
Regarding the legal aspects of reopening cold cases based on the verbal allegations raised, Mashaile indicated there are no insurmountable legal hurdles, provided the matters are assigned to investigators of proven integrity. He stressed the need for a thorough clean-up in Mpumalanga, citing shocking accounts of abuse and compromised officials, including fears reportedly held by some prosecutors and magistrates.
The developments come amid wider scrutiny of the SAPS through the Madlanga Commission. Mashaile suggested that outcomes from related investigations could eventually reach senior figures such as Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who has been prominent in anti-corruption efforts within policing.
Manamela’s briefing and the subsequent analysis have intensified questions about accountability, transparency and stability at the highest levels of South Africa’s police service. Calls for evidence to substantiate the claims are likely to grow as the Madlanga Commission and any parallel processes continue their work.