ANALYSIS | Top cop trouble: What should Ramaphosa do?

It appears President Cyril Ramaphosa is weighing his options regarding charges made against South Africa's top cop.

National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola is back in the spotlight, having been charged under the Public Finance Management Act.

“I am having conversations with the various people involved in the security cluster, and we will be making an announcement soon about what I am going to do,” said Ramaphosa during a visit to a Free State housing project on Thursday.

Masemola has been under scrutiny after being linked to a controversial R360 million South African Police Service (SAPS) tender.

Leadership and governance expert Professor Mazwe Majola says it's important to remember Masemola is not a political appointee, but still operates within a specific legal and constitutional framework.

"He [Masemola] is an accounting officer, which means he is responsible for the whole organisation. He has a responsibility to make sure he runs that correctly... and prevents any irregular, fruitless and wasteful expenditure."

Twelve senior SAPS members arrested during a raid on Tuesday evening for allegedly assisting Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala in securing an irregular tender from SAPS have since appeared in court.

They're accused in connection with the awarding of a contract to provide medical services to more than 180,000 police members.

The chairperson of Parliament's Police Portfolio Committee, Ian Cameron, told 702 that the SAPS internal audit team informed Masemola 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 [probing police graft] 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," said Cameron.

ALSO READ: Masemola court summons deepens concerns over corruption in SAPS

The whole country is waiting for the president to take action, says Majola.

"The president cannot just dismiss you merely because of the charge, because you know he's not guilty yet. He [the president] must give him some time to deal with that, but that office must not be affected. That's why he must find someone who can act in the meantime while he is proving himself."

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for Masemola's immediate precautionary suspension.

ALSO READ: Controversial R360m SAPS tender separates the wheat from the chaff

ALSO READ: DA wants Masemola suspended after being linked to R360m SAPS tender

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