JOHANNESBURG - ActionSA said while it supports decisive steps to safeguard the integrity of the South African Police Service (SAPS), the suspension of National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola highlights a troubling cycle of acting appointments.
President Cyril Ramaphosa placed Masemola on precautionary suspension following charges related to alleged violations of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA).
Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane has since been appointed as acting national commissioner. She has served as SAPS Chief Financial Officer since 2018.
ActionSA argued that this development forms part of a growing pattern of instability at the highest levels of law enforcement.
The party pointed to the previous suspension of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, after which Firoz Cachalia was appointed in an acting capacity.
READ: Masemola placed on suspension, Dimpane appointed acting police commissioner
ActionSA Member of Parliament Dereleen James said that while Masemola’s suspension was widely anticipated, given the seriousness of the allegations, South Africans should not be expected to accept ongoing leadership uncertainty.
In a statement, the party said: “ActionSA notes the decision by President Cyril Ramaphosa to suspend National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola. Sadly, today marks another indication of the growing instability obstructing law enforcement from fulfilling its most basic mandate — to protect South Africa and its people.
“While ActionSA supports decisive action to protect the integrity of SAPS, these repeated reactive interventions point to a deeper failure of leadership and oversight. The President has allowed a situation to develop where allegations of criminality and misconduct at the highest levels of government and law enforcement have become commonplace.”
The party added that it would closely monitor Dimpane’s appointment.
“This appointment must serve to clean up the South African Police Service, not frustrate or delay the work of this critical institution,” ActionSA said.