“The attack happened just days before the officer was due to appear before a public inquiry examining allegations of corruption and organised crime within South Africa’s police service.”
One of South Africa’s most senior police officers is recovering in hospital after surviving an apparent assassination attempt that has raised fresh concerns about the safety of people connected to a high-profile inquiry into corruption within the country’s police force.
Major-General Feroz Khan, the suspended deputy head of crime intelligence, was shot on Sunday evening while driving home in Johannesburg, according to police and local media reports.
He was rushed to hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. Authorities have not released details about his condition.
The shooting comes at a sensitive time.
Khan had been scheduled to testify this week before the Madlanga Commission, a public inquiry established to investigate allegations that organised crime has infiltrated South Africa’s law enforcement agencies.
Police have urged the public not to jump to conclusions.
In a statement on Monday, police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said investigators were still working to establish exactly what happened.
“It is premature and irresponsible to speculate on any possible motive or to conclude that the incident is linked to his anticipated appearance before the commission.”
The Madlanga Commission was established after Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged last year that criminal syndicates had gained influence within parts of the government and police service.
Khan’s name has surfaced several times during the inquiry, including in connection with a failed drug operation carried out in Johannesburg in 2021.
According to South African publication Daily Maverick, investigators were also expected to question him about his alleged links to politician Julius Malema and political figure Brown Mogotsi.
Khan has not publicly commented on those reports.
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His testimony had already become the subject of legal battles.
Earlier this month, Khan asked the Johannesburg High Court to prevent the inquiry from accessing electronic devices seized during his arrest. He also sought permission for his evidence to be heard behind closed doors before later withdrawing both requests.
The general is also facing separate criminal allegations.
In May, Khan, another senior police officer and a businessman were arrested over allegations involving the illegal possession and trading of precious metals.
The case stems from a 2021 incident at OR Tambo International Airport, where a businessman was found carrying 75.9 grams of unwrought gold.
The businessman reportedly claimed he had been working as an undercover agent for senior police officials.
However, prosecutors later said investigators found no evidence that any authorised undercover operation involving precious metals existed at the time.
They alleged that Khan and another officer instructed police to release the businessman despite the circumstances surrounding the case.
Khan has not publicly responded to the allegations. He was released on bail and is expected to face the charges in court.
The latest shooting has also revived concerns about the safety of people connected to the Madlanga Commission.
In December, another witness linked to the inquiry was shot dead in front of family members just weeks after giving evidence.
That killing remains under investigation.
For now, detectives are focusing on identifying those responsible for Sunday’s attack on Khan.
Whether the shooting was connected to his upcoming testimony, his criminal case or another matter remains unknown, and police insist it would be wrong to draw conclusions before the investigation is complete.
