Suspended Mpumalanga police chief accuses national commissioner of protecting corrupt officers

Lt-Gen Daphney Manamela alleged she was sidelined for acting against corruption and claimed Gen Fannie Masemola received a bribe.

Suspended Mpumalanga police commissioner Lt-Gen Daphney Manamela accused national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola of protecting corrupt officers and alleged he received a R5 million bribe from businessman Bobby Motaung during a media briefing in Mbombela on Sunday¹²⁴.

Manamela claimed she was suspended while taking action against officers allegedly involved in extortion and corruption, and said attempts to seek Masemola's intervention were unsuccessful¹⁴. She alleged that Maj-Gen Botsotso Moukangwe confessed that he and Masemola received R5 million from Motaung to ensure she did not return to her position or reinstate fraud and corruption cases against Motaung².

The suspended commissioner further alleged that a provincial task team investigating serious cases was disbanded after her suspension, and that there was interference in political cases, illegal mining, and kidnapping investigations⁴. She claimed former police minister Bheki Cele interfered in her work, pushing for the arrest of a former Mpumalanga MEC without evidence during the ANC's January 8 celebrations in 2024 and becoming upset when she did not comply¹. Manamela also alleged Cele interfered in the Hillary Gardee murder case¹.

Regarding the Motaung case, Manamela said Motaung and two others were arrested and released on bail for fraud related to the Mbombela Stadium tender, and alleged manipulation of the investigation system². She suggested a link between Motaung's cases and the murder of Jimmy Mohlala, who had raised concerns about the stadium's construction².

Police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said the allegations were serious and could not be ignored²³. She said SAPS would consult with Manamela, the national commissioner, and the legal department to obtain full details before determining a way forward¹³. Mathe said once the allegations were formally assessed, the matter would be referred to appropriate investigative units³. She emphasized that SAPS operational services remained intact and unaffected³.