Major General Feroz Khan, the suspended deputy head of Crime Intelligence, has been dismissed from the South African Police Service (SAPS) after an expedited disciplinary inquiry and a Labour Court ruling that declined to interdict the process, police confirmed on Wednesday evening.
Disciplinary process and court challenge
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said Khan was dismissed under Regulation 9(7)(b) of the SAPS Discipline Regulations following his failure to appear before the designated senior officer managing the expeditious disciplinary process. The Regulation allows a streamlined procedure for serious misconduct matters.
The dismissal follows the Labour Court's decision earlier this week to refuse an urgent application by Khan to halt the disciplinary process and to stop SAPS invoking Regulation 9(7). Khan had sought the court interdict after missing a disciplinary hearing on 12 August and being absent again on 13 August, despite being offered a virtual opportunity to participate.
"No member, regardless of rank or position, is above the law or the applicable disciplinary framework," Mathe said, underscoring the service's stance on accountability.
Background and timeline
Media reports indicate Khan was recovering from injuries sustained in a shooting in June when the disciplinary proceedings were conducted. His legal team and union representatives attended the hearings in his absence and sought postponements and legal representation on his behalf.
Parliament's Police Portfolio Committee chairperson, Ian Cameron, welcomed the decision, saying concerns about Khan had been raised since 2024 and noting the repeated use of litigation during the disciplinary process.
"We have pushed for accountability in this matter for a long time. Khan repeatedly turned to litigation as the disciplinary process progressed, but accountability cannot be litigated away," Cameron said, according to reporting.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| June 2026 | Khan reportedly sustained injuries in a shooting (media reports) |
| 12 Aug 2026 | Khan missed an expedited disciplinary hearing; legal representatives sought postponement |
| 13 Aug 2026 | Khan was absent again though offered virtual participation; hearing continued and found him guilty with a recommendation for dismissal |
| Early Sep 2026 | Labour Court declined Khan's urgent bid to stop the disciplinary process |
| 2 Sep 2026 | SAPS confirmed Khan's dismissal |
Consequences and institutional response
SAPS said it would continue to respect and abide by court decisions and would provide further information where legally permissible. The service emphasised its commitment to "accountability, discipline and professional conduct within the organisation."
The dismissal removes Khan from his official post in Crime Intelligence. The expedited process under Regulation 9 is designed to deal with serious misconduct swiftly; in this instance the hearing proceeded in the accused's absence after his non-attendance and after the Labour Court refused to intercede.
- Regulation invoked: Regulation 9(7)(b) of the SAPS Discipline Regulations
- Key legal development: Labour Court refused to halt the disciplinary process
- Official stance: SAPS emphasised no member is above the law
Khan's legal representatives told reporting outlets they had not been instructed by their client to comment when asked for a response to the dismissal. Beyond the statements from SAPS and Parliament's portfolio committee chairperson, there has been no public comment from Khan himself in the available reporting.
The case underscores tensions that can arise when senior officers face disciplinary processes while contesting those procedures through litigation. It also highlights the mechanisms within SAPS for managing alleged serious misconduct without prolonged delay, and the role of the Labour Court in considering challenges to those mechanisms.
