Seven suspended South African Police Service (SAPS) officers who served on the Tshwane District Bid Evaluation Committee (BEC) that awarded the R228 million Medicare24 contract have been cleared of departmental misconduct and have returned to duty, SAPS disciplinary records show.
Internal inquiry finds no misconduct for seven committee members
The officers were accused of assisting the company linked to alleged underworld figure Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala to secure the Medicare24 contract. According to SAPS, a departmental disciplinary process found the seven officers not guilty of the alleged irregularities, and they have since resumed their positions.
One member of the committee, who acted as a contract manager, was disciplined after an internal finding that his niece had been employed by Medicare24. That officer was penalised with a deduction of one month’s salary. The disciplinary action was limited to this conflict-of-interest matter and did not pertain to the evaluation decisions themselves.
“Seven suspended police officers … have been cleared of misconduct charges,”
The outcome follows earlier reporting that SAPS Supply Chain Management head Molefe Fani was similarly found not guilty in an internal disciplinary process. SAPS later served Fani with a separate notice of intention to suspend him over unrelated charges, the internal reports show.
Context and wider scrutiny
The Medicare24 contract and the role of the BEC attracted heightened public and judicial scrutiny. The company and its alleged links have been examined in other forums, including proceedings at the Madlanga Commission, where testimony related to the contract has been interrupted by health issues experienced by witnesses, according to prior media reports.
While the disciplinary processes have cleared several SAPS members, the matter continues to have public resonance because of:
- the size of the contract — R228 million — awarded to Medicare24;
- the prominence of allegations connecting the company to an alleged underworld figure;
- ongoing and separate disciplinary or suspension notices affecting other SAPS officials.
The departmental findings mean the seven former suspended officers will resume their duties, though the presence of other outstanding proceedings demonstrates the inquiry into the procurement process has not concluded across all institutions and actors.
| Subject | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Seven BEC members | Cleared of misconduct; returned to work |
| Contract manager (BEC) | Docked one month’s salary for niece employed by Medicare24 |
| Molefe Fani (SAPS SCM head) | Previously cleared in one process; later served with separate notice to suspend |
Implications for SAPS procurement oversight
The mixed disciplinary outcomes underscore the challenges that internal processes face when addressing allegations that overlap with criminal investigations, public concern and judicial inquiries. SAPS internal disciplinary forums operate separately from criminal or judicial proceedings, and a not-guilty finding in a departmental context does not necessarily preclude further action by investigative bodies or commissions tasked with examining procurement integrity.
For the public, the central questions remain whether procurement rules were followed, whether procurement decisions were free from improper influence, and whether existing safeguards within SAPS supply chain management are sufficient to prevent conflicts of interest. The docking of one officer’s salary for an employment-related conflict indicates at least one procedural breach was identified and sanctioned.
As the events unfold, other forums — including commissions and possible criminal probes — may continue to examine the Medicare24 award and associated conduct. For now, the departmental outcomes have restored employment status to the seven officers involved in the Tshwane BEC.
Further developments could arise from separate notices and proceedings previously reported concerning other SAPS officials connected to the procurement process.
