Stories did the rounds last year that National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola was going to be arrested. He brushed these off as a smear campaign. Now the stories are becoming real: he faces criminal charges over a dodgy R360m tender tied to corruption-accused Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala.

Already mired in unprecedented levels of dysfunction, the South African Police Service faces further turmoil as National Commissioner Fannie Masemola, the nation's highest-ranking officer, faces criminal prosecution.

For months, suspicions have been mounting that Masemola will find himself in a courtroom dock on corruption charges.

When claims surfaced last year that Masemola would be arrested, he dismissed them as "a deliberate effort by certain politicians to discredit me and cast doubt on my integrity".

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But on Wednesday, 25 March, national police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe confirmed that Masemola had been served with a notice to appear in court on 21 April.

'Pledged his cooperation'

Mathe told journalists, "General Masemola remains fully committed to upholding the rule of law and integrity of the office he serves. He has taken note of the charges brought against him, and he has pledged his full cooperation with all lawful processes."

It was not immediately clear what charges he faced.

When Masemola is officially charged, he will join the ranks of former police boss Jackie Selebi, who went on to become a convict, and former acting police boss Khomotso Phahlane, who has denied criminal accusations against him.

Police spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe confirms that National...