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A senior South African police officer, Major General Feroz Khan, has been shot and wounded in what authorities are investigating as an attempted murder, just days before he was scheduled to testify before a high-profile corruption inquiry into the country’s criminal justice system.
Police said Khan, the suspended national deputy head of crime intelligence, was attacked late on Sunday in an affluent suburb of Johannesburg. He is currently in the hospital and recovering after surgery, according to national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe.
Khan was due to appear on Wednesday before the Madlanga Commission, a judicial inquiry that has, since commencing hearings in September, exposed allegations of corruption within senior ranks of the police service.
He was suspended in May following his arrest on allegations of illegal dealings in precious metals. Authorities have also linked him to accusations involving organised crime networks, illicit tobacco trafficking, and drug-related thefts.
Police have urged restraint in interpreting the motive behind the shooting. In a statement, they said it was “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 investigation into the attack is being handled with support from the elite Hawks unit and the Political Killings Task Team, underscoring the sensitivity of the case.
The Madlanga Commission was established by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July last year after allegations surfaced that senior political and police figures were obstructing investigations into politically motivated killings. The hearings, broadcast live, have drawn widespread public attention and further intensified scrutiny of South Africa’s justice institutions.
Key figures, including Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and senior police leadership, have already appeared before the commission and are currently suspended or on leave pending investigations.
The case adds to growing concerns about witness and whistleblower safety. In December, a key witness linked to the inquiry was assassinated, heightening fears around intimidation connected to the ongoing proceedings.
