A senior South African police officer has been shot and wounded just days before he was due to testify before a judicial commission investigating corruption within the country’s criminal justice system.
Police confirmed on Monday that suspended Deputy National Head of Crime Intelligence, Major General Feroz Khan, was shot late Sunday in an affluent suburb of Johannesburg. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident as a case of attempted murder.
Khan was scheduled to appear on Wednesday before the Madlanga Commission, which has been investigating allegations of corruption involving senior police officials and other members of the criminal justice system since September last year.
He was suspended from office in May after his arrest over alleged illegal dealings in precious metals. Khan also faces allegations linking him to organised crime, the illicit tobacco trade and drug thefts.
However, the South African Police Service cautioned against linking the shooting to his planned appearance before the commission.
“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 police said in a statement.
Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said Khan underwent surgery and is recovering in hospital.
The investigation is being handled by the Hawks, South Africa’s elite crime-fighting unit, alongside the Political Killings Task Team.
President Cyril Ramaphosa established the Madlanga Commission in July 2025 after a provincial police commissioner accused the police minister and other senior officials of interfering in investigations into politically motivated killings.
The commission’s public hearings have exposed allegations of corruption involving some of the country’s top law enforcement officials, further deepening concerns over governance and accountability.
Several senior officials, including the national police minister, Senzo Mchunu, the national police commissioner and his deputy, have appeared before the commission and have since been suspended or placed on leave pending investigations.
The inquiry has also been marred by violence. In December, one of its key witnesses was assassinated, raising fresh concerns over the safety of individuals involved in the investigation.
