Senior SAPS Members Arrested in Corruption Crackdown
Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo, the head of crime intelligence, was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on June 26, 2025, following a crackdown on corruption within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Khumalo faces four counts of fraud and corruption, with the total amount in question exceeding R1 million. His arrest is part of a broader investigation that has also implicated other senior SAPS officials, including Major General Philani Lushaba, Brigadier Nosipho Madondo, and Brigadier Josias Lekalakala. All seven individuals involved are senior members of SAPS.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has welcomed these arrests, describing them as a crucial step in restoring integrity to a police force that has faced significant scrutiny over corruption issues. In a statement, the DA remarked, “This is a welcomed step in rescuing an organization on the brink of collapse. This points to yet another serious breach of trust within a critical state institution tasked with performing our nation’s policing functions.”
The allegations against Khumalo and Lushaba involve questionable financial transactions, including the alleged misuse of funds for the purchase of properties that raised concerns about their legitimacy. Reports indicate that crime intelligence allegedly spent R22.8 million on a commercial property in Berea, Durban, and R22.7 million on a luxury boutique hotel in Pretoria North, with these transactions reportedly authorized by Khumalo and Lushaba.
The DA anticipates further arrests of high-ranking officials as the investigation intensifies, stating, “We expect more arrests to follow of very high-ranking and senior police officials.”
Khumalo and his co-accused are expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate Court today, where the details of the charges will be formally presented.