Senior Crime Intelligence official Major General Feroz Khan is recovering in hospital after he was shot in an alleged ambush in Houghton, Johannesburg, on Monday evening, just days before he was due to testify before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
According to police, Khan was attacked shortly after leaving a meeting with his legal team, where they had been preparing for his anticipated appearance before the commission on Wednesday.
A passer-by reportedly discovered Khan partially hanging out of his vehicle and immediately alerted emergency services. According to an initial police report, Khan told the witness that he had been shot in the abdomen.
His attorney, Kylen Ghirao, confirmed that Khan underwent emergency surgery and is now in a stable condition.
Ghirao said he had spent several hours with Khan on Monday reviewing evidence and preparing his testimony. He added that the legal team had also been working through more than 11,000 pages of documents that were recently disclosed by the Madlanga Commission in preparation for Khan’s evidence.
No bullets found inside vehicle
Despite the reported shooting, investigators have confirmed that no bullets were recovered from inside Khan’s vehicle.
Crime scene investigators instead found spent cartridge cases and evidence of a projectile striking the road surface near the scene. Police also recovered a handwritten note left at the location.
According to preliminary reports, the note called for an investigation into Colonel Calvin Khorommbi and Crime Intelligence Divisional Commissioner Lieutenant General Dumisani Khumalo.
Colonel Khorommbi previously played a key role in investigations that resulted in Khan’s arrest, while Khumalo has himself featured prominently in evidence before the Madlanga Commission regarding allegations of dysfunction and internal conflict within Crime Intelligence.
Authorities have not yet indicated whether the note is believed to be linked to the shooting or whether it forms part of an attempt to mislead investigators.
Khan at the centre of Crime Intelligence investigations
Khan has become one of the central figures in ongoing investigations into alleged irregularities within SAPS Crime Intelligence.
Earlier this year, he was arrested alongside several other senior police officers on allegations linked to the alleged unlawful procurement of intelligence equipment and the misuse of the Secret Service Account. The charges include fraud, corruption and contraventions of the Public Finance Management Act. Khan has denied wrongdoing and remains out on bail while criminal proceedings continue.
His anticipated appearance before the Madlanga Commission has attracted significant public attention because he is expected to respond to allegations made by other witnesses and provide evidence relating to the operation of Crime Intelligence, internal decision-making, procurement processes and relationships between senior police officials.
The commission, chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, was established to investigate allegations that organised crime networks may have infiltrated elements of law enforcement and the broader criminal justice system.
Investigation underway
Police have launched an investigation into the attempted murder, while forensic teams continue to examine the crime scene and analyse ballistic evidence.
Authorities have not announced any arrests, and the motive for the attack remains under investigation.
It is not yet known whether the shooting will affect Khan’s scheduled testimony before the Madlanga Commission, although his legal team has indicated that his immediate priority is his medical recovery.
The incident is likely to intensify scrutiny of witness security surrounding the commission, which has heard explosive testimony from several current and former law enforcement officials in recent weeks.
