Twelve senior members of the South African Police Service have appeared before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on allegations of corruption and fraud tied to an irregular contract award, prosecutors said following their Wednesday hearing.
The officers, including a major‑general and several brigadiers, were detained by anti‑graft investigators as part of a probe into the controversial R360 million health services tender linked to alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, who also appeared in court alongside them.
Prosecutors allege the group unlawfully facilitated the award of the contract and engaged in fraud and other financial crimes. The charges form part of a broader corruption investigation that has drawn national attention and comes amid intensified scrutiny of misconduct within the police service.
In a related development, National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola has been served with a warrant to appear in court next month in connection with the same scandal, underscoring the widening scope of the case.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has said authorities are acting decisively against graft, following the launch of multiple inquiries into alleged systemic corruption within law enforcement.
