Key Takeaways
- Two high‑ranking SAPS generals – Major General Feroz Khan (Crime Intelligence) and Major General Ebrahim Kadwa (Gauteng Hawks head) – were arrested on 10 May 2026 for alleged illegal dealing and unlawful possession of precious metals.
- The arrests, executed via J50 warrants and stemming from an intensive Gauteng Counter‑Intelligence Operations (GCI‑OPS) investigation, are part of a broader crackdown that will see 15 senior officers appear in Gauteng courts this week.
- Both generals have prior controversies: Khan was implicated in a 2021 cocaine‑interception case, while Kadwa had publicly vowed to combat illicit gold smuggling.
- The scandal exposes deep‑seated rival factions within SAPS, notably between supporters of whistle‑blowing KwaZulu‑Natal commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi (who alleges a drug cartel has infiltrated politics and policing) and those who dismiss his claims as a smokescreen.
- Related developments include the impending court appearance of suspended national commissioner Fannie Masemola over a dubiously awarded tender, and the arrest of MP Fadiel Adams, whose case ties back to Khan and the 2021 cocaine saga.
- Collectively, these events signal a possible tit‑for‑tat pattern of arrests, raising concerns about internal police accountability and the state’s ability to curb organised mineral theft and corruption.
Arrests of Two Senior Generals
On Sunday, 10 May 2026, the South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed the arrest of two senior officers and a civilian for illegally dealing in and possessing precious metals. Although the SAPS statement did not name the individuals, media outlets identified them as Major General Feroz Khan, head of Crime Intelligence, and Major General Ebrahim Kadwa, who leads the Gauteng Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks). The arrests were carried out under J50 warrants, a legal mechanism used for serious economic crimes, and followed an intensive probe by the Gauteng Counter‑Intelligence Operations (GCI‑OPS) unit.
Nature of the Charges and Investigative Context
SAPS explained that the suspects were detained following investigations into allegations of illicit precious‑metals transactions, corruption, and related offences. The statement emphasised that these arrests form part of ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal networks involved in the illegal trade of minerals and corrupt practices within the police. The GCI‑OPS team, which focuses on counter‑intelligence and organised crime, reportedly gathered evidence linking Khan and Kadwa to unlawful possession and dealing of gold and other precious metals, prompting the swift judicial action.
Background on Major General Feroz Khan
Khan has long been a figure of contention within SAPS. Prior to his current role, he served as head of Counter and Security Intelligence. His name emerged in a 2021 case where police intercepted a R200‑million cocaine consignment in Johannesburg. Although four suspects – including two officers – were initially detained, the case was later withdrawn (though it may be reinstated). Khan alleged that his then‑boss, Dumisani Khumalo, used the interception to undermine him after Khan began probing possible abuse of secret‑service funds. He was ultimately cleared in that matter, but the episode highlighted deep internal rivalries.
Background on Major General Ebrahim Kadwa
Kadwa, as the Gauteng head of the Hawks, had previously taken a public stand against illicit mineral trafficking. In 2025, after two suspects were detained for possessing unwrought gold worth R16 million, Kadwa warned that the Hawks would “continue to use every available resource to combat these unlawful activities that exploit our country’s precious metals for personal gain.” His recent arrest places him on the opposite side of the very law he once championed, raising questions about how deeply the alleged corruption network had penetrated senior leadership.
The Wider Court Docket: Fifteen Senior Officers
Khan and Kadwa are among fifteen senior police officers slated to appear in Gauteng magistrates’ courts this week. The group includes officers linked to various corruption probes, reflecting a sweeping judicial push to address systemic malfeasance. Notably, suspended national commissioner Fannie Masemola is also expected in court, albeit in a separate case concerning a dubiously awarded tender. The sheer volume of high‑ranking officials facing charges underscores the scale of the ongoing internal crackdown.
The 2021 Cocaine Interception and Khan’s Allegations
The 2021 cocaine interception remains a flashpoint in the Khan controversy. Police seized a massive cocaine shipment in Johannesburg, leading to the arrest of four suspects, two of whom were SAPS officers. Khan asserted that the operation was orchestrated by his superior, Khumalo, to discredit him after he initiated an inquiry into alleged misuse of secret‑service funds. Though Khan was exonerated in that instance, the episode sowed mistrust that may have contributed to the current precious‑metals investigation, suggesting a pattern of retaliatory actions within the service.
Emergence of Rival Factions Inside SAPS
The arrests have intensified existing divisions within SAPS. Last year, KwaZulu‑Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi held a press conference claiming that a drug cartel had infiltrated South Africa’s politics, private security, and the criminal justice system. Mkhwanazi’s allegations have split the force into two camps: those who view his whistle‑blowing as a vital warning of systemic infiltration, and those who dismiss his claims as a deliberate smokescreen designed to divert attention from other police criminality.
Supporters versus Detractors of Mkhwanazi
Supporters of Mkhwanazi, including figures aligned with former Crime Intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo and suspended commissioner Masemola, argue that the cartel’s reach explains why sensitive units such as the Political Killings Task Team have been undermined. Detractors, often linked to the Gauteng Hawks and Crime Intelligence circles led by Khan, contend that Mkhwanazi’s narrative is fabricated to shield his own allies and to discredit legitimate investigations into police misconduct. This tit‑for‑tat dynamic has manifested in reciprocal arrests and suspensions, fueling perceptions of a vendetta‑driven purge.
Allegations Around the Political Killings Task Team
Mkhwanazi further claimed that the alleged drug cartel pressured Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to disband KwaZulu‑Natal’s Political Killings Task Team, which he said was investigating the cartel’s activities. Mchunu has denied any wrongdoing, while Mkhwanazi maintains that the team’s dissolution was a direct response to its probing. Notably, the Gauteng Counter‑Intelligence Operations team – the very unit that arrested Khan and Kadwa – has been implicated in the investigations that supposedly prompted the task team’s shutdown, adding another layer of intrigue to the inter‑factional conflict.
Role of the Gauteng Counter‑Intelligence Operations Team
The GCI‑OPS unit, responsible for the recent arrests, has been at the centre of the scandal’s expansion. This team conducted the intensive investigation that uncovered the alleged precious‑metals dealings involving Khan and Kadwa. Its work also intersects with the broader narrative of cartel infiltration, as members of GCI‑OPS have been involved in probing the same networks that Mkhwanazi warns about. Consequently, the unit’s actions are viewed by some as a legitimate anti‑corruption drive and by others as part of the internal power struggle.
Arrest of MP Fadiel Adams and Its Links
On 13 May 2026, two days after Khan and Kadwa’s court appearance, Fadiel Adams – leader of the National Coloured Congress – was scheduled to appear in a Pinetown court for a bail application. Adams was arrested in Cape Town on charges of fraud and defeating the ends of justice after allegedly misrepresenting himself as being on official parliamentary duty while interviewing inmates at Westville Correctional Centre. His case connects to the scandal through his prior testimony to Parliament, in which he claimed that the hitman behind the 2017 murder of ANC Youth League secretary‑general Sindiso Magaqa confessed to him and that Crime Intelligence allegedly supplied the assault rifle used in the killing. Adams has criticised the police over the 2021 cocaine interception, asserting that Khan was persecuted by high‑ranking SAPS members, further entwining his fate with the ongoing internecine conflict.
The Masemola‑Matlala Tender Case and Broader Implications
Also on 13 May, suspended national commissioner Fannie Masemola is set to appear in Pretoria Magistrates’ Court alongside twelve senior officers, organised‑crime accused Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, and one of Matlala’s business associates. The case concerns a R360‑million tender for Medicare 24 Tshwane District that was allegedly awarded for R228‑million due to collusion between Matlala’s company and police officers. President Cyril Ramaphosa placed Masemola on precautionary suspension last month amid these accusations. Some policing sources interpret the simultaneous targeting of Masemola, Khumalo, and now Khan and Kadwa as evidence of a tit‑for‑tat strategy, where rival factions use legal mechanisms to settle scores rather than purely to combat corruption.
Outlook and Significance
The cascade of arrests – from senior generals to a Member of Parliament and a former national commissioner – signals a profound crisis of confidence within the SAPS. While the government presents the actions as a decisive move against organised mineral theft and internal corruption, the pervasive allegations of factional vendettas suggest that the process may be as much about internal power struggles as it is about upholding the law. The coming weeks will test whether the judiciary can disentangle genuine criminal conduct from politically motivated prosecutions, and whether South Africa can restore integrity to its police service amid these tumultuous revelations.