Controversial R360m SAPS tender separates the wheat from the chaff

The South African Police Service (SAPS) is once again under scrutiny as a group of senior officers has appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court.

They're accused in connection with a controversial R360 million tender, and their arrests raise fresh concerns about accountability at the highest level of the police.

The officers were arrested during a raid on Tuesday evening for allegedly assisting controversial businessman Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala in securing an irregular tender from SAPS.

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"This really has a massive, massive detrimental effect on the whole supply chain of SAPS, but that being said, it was bound to happen, and it needed to happen. We need to clean up," says Portfolio Committee on Police Chairperson Ian Cameron.

He says these latest developments point to deeper systemic issues within SAPS.

"It speaks to an integrity management crisis within the South African Police Service... the absolute embarrassment it creates for South Africa on a global stage is really significant."

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The accused officers allegedly played a role in awarding a contract to provide medical services to more than 180,000 police members; R50 million had already been handed out before the deal was scrapped.

In a further twist, National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola has been served with a summons to appear in court in April.

Cameron says Masemola was told by the SAPS internal audit team to cancel the contract and stop all payments with immediate effect.

"He essentially signed off on this. He told us last week in the ad hoc committee that he has never met with Cat Matalala; there are allegations that he did, but they are just that. We will need to see evidence. The point is, he is the accountability officer."

The arrest and Masemola's summons come off the back of the Madlanga Commission and the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee, which were set up to investigate allegations of State Capture within police and prosecution authorities, specifically focusing on corruption involving high-ranking officials and criminal networks.

To listen to Cameron in conversation with 702's Bongani Bingwa, use the audio player below: