Masemola court summons deepens concerns over corruption in SAPS

The summons issued to National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, highlights the concerns about corruption, and the difficulty in finding leaders with integrity. 

This is according to criminologist Dr Simon Howell, following the summons issued to Masemola to appear in court for charges in a multimillion-rand SAPS tender scandal.

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"It really speaks to the concerns around corruption and how endemic it is and how difficult it is to continue having leadership that ultimately does not inspire to uphold the standards, which really they ought to hold up, considering their position in society and considering their position in the organisation.”

Howell highlighted the need for leaders with integrity, citing the difficulty in finding someone with the right qualities to lead the SAPS.

He noted that while the SAPS has a rigid hierarchy, it also has a lot of scope for individuals to take advantage of that position, making it a challenging environment for those with integrity.

He explained that President Cyril Ramaphosa and Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia’s commitment to ensuring the SAPS remains stable is crucial.

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Howell argued that while a temporary suspension will be the likely next step, the best course of action would be for Masemola to actively resign.

"If history has anything to go by, precautionary suspension will probably follow. And then of course there is a question of who do we put in this place temporarily or permanently, which, of course, is a whole other concern and unresolved,”

He emphasised the importance of finding a leader with integrity and the right leadership skills to lead the SAPS.

"I would argue that it needs to be someone internal. SAPS is what most police organiations are, influential and internal looking… If you want someone who has legitimacy within the organisation and who can lead the organisation, who is respected by members within the organisation, typically that person needs to come from the organisation itself.”

To listen to Howell in conversation with 702 and CapeTalk’s Africa Melane, click the audio player below: