The arrests, linked to the Medicare 24 contract, have sent shockwaves through SAPS, with the accused expected to appear in court on charges of corruption, fraud and financial misconduct. The case is being handled by the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate Against Corruption.

An emergency SAPS meeting is now scheduled for 27 March, where top leadership is expected to confront the full scale of the scandal and its impact on the organisation.

The high level session will focus on key operational and governance issues, including visible policing, restructuring, supply chain management and internal audits. At the centre of the discussions is the cancelled Medicare 24 tender, which has become a symbol of alleged corruption within the police service.

The contract was halted in January 2025 after serious red flags were identified during an internal review. That decision is now seen as the turning point that exposed what investigators believe may be a wider network of corruption.

The involvement of senior SAPS figures has intensified pressure on leadership, raising urgent questions about accountability and oversight within the institution.

As the accused officers prepare to face the courts, the emergency meeting is expected to outline the next steps in restoring trust and stabilising the embattled police service.

With public anger growing and scrutiny intensifying, this scandal is shaping up to be one of the most significant corruption cases inside SAPS in recent years.

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The SIU recently revealed that South Africa’s immigration system had effectively been turned into a marketplace, where visas and permits were allegedly sold to the highest bidder. The findings have sparked renewed public interest in high profile immigration fraud cases, including that of Chabalala.

The Rise and Sudden Fall of “Mshengu”

Chabalala, once known for his flamboyant lifestyle and his Sam Holdings Group empire, drew national attention in 2019 when he arrived at the Durban July with a convoy of luxury vehicles reportedly stretching into the dozens. The spectacle reportedly triggered scrutiny from the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, commonly known as the Hawks.

On 6 September 2019, Chabalala was arrested on charges including corruption, illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition, illegal entry into South Africa, and providing false information to authorities.

During his arrest, he claimed to have been born in Limpopo. Investigators later alleged he was in fact a Zimbabwean national.

The Affidavit and the Killing

Shortly after Chabalala’s arrest, his close associate and manager, Nkosinathi Ngcongo, provided a sworn affidavit to investigators. Days later, Ngcongo was shot and killed.

Court proceedings later resulted in a 15 year prison sentence for a bodyguard linked to the murder plot. However, allegations have persisted that a suspected gunman known as Khumalo has not been arrested.

Bail, Bribery Allegations and Disappearance

Chabalala was granted R200,000 bail at the Witbank Magistrate’s Court. Less than six months later, he was arrested again, this time accused of attempting to bribe a senior police officer to make his case docket disappear and return his seized vehicle.

He was granted R500,000 bail despite opposition from the State.

In March 2020, after being released on bail for the second time, Chabalala vanished.

Before disappearing, he allegedly left a note suggesting he intended to end his life near the Crocodile River or a game reserve along the N2 towards Hluhluwe. No remains were publicly confirmed, and his whereabouts remain unknown.

Authorities had reportedly secured two warrants for his arrest after he failed to appear in court.

SIU Findings on Immigration Corruption

The renewed attention comes after the SIU presented interim findings into corruption within the Department of Home Affairs.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber confirmed that the probe, authorised by Cyril Ramaphosa under Proclamation 154 of 2024, examined visa processes between October 2004 and February 2024.

Among the findings

More than 2,000 study visas were allegedly fraudulently issued

Financial benefits exceeding R181 million were traced to beneficiaries

Four officials earning under R25,000 per month reportedly received R16.3 million in unexplained deposits

Seventy five disciplinary cases were finalised over two financial years

Twenty officials were dismissed since April last year

High profile cases, including those involving Shepherd Bushiri and Timothy Omotoso, were also flagged during the investigation.

The Unanswered Question

Five years later, the mystery remains.

Is Sam “Mshengu” Chabalala dead. Did he flee the country. Or could new investigations into immigration corruption eventually reveal what really happened.

For now, the businessman who once dominated headlines has vanished, leaving behind unanswered questions, unfinished court cases, and a legal system still grappling with the full extent of alleged immigration corruption.

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The debate has been framed as one of accountability. But a closer look at South Africa’s legal landscape shows that the issue may not be a lack of laws, but how those laws are enforced.

This explainer breaks down what the law already regulates, what it deliberately does not regulate, and where the CRL proposal changes the relationship between church and state.

What the Law Already Covers

South African law already applies fully to churches, pastors, and religious organisations. There is no legal exemption for religious spaces.

Criminal conduct

When harm occurs in a church, it is prosecuted under ordinary criminal law. This includes:

 • Assault and grievous bodily harm

 • Sexual offences, including rape and exploitation

 • Child abuse and neglect

 • Intimidation and coercion

Courts have repeatedly ruled that religious belief or consent does not make harmful conduct lawful. The conviction of the so-called Doom pastor is one example where existing law was applied decisively.

Financial and organisational misconduct

Churches are also subject to:

 • Fraud and theft legislation

 • Tax compliance and SARS oversight

 • Non-profit governance requirements where applicable

Religious status does not shield any institution from financial accountability.

Child protection

The Children’s Act and related legislation impose strict duties to protect minors and to report abuse. These obligations apply regardless of whether abuse occurs in a home, school, or church.

In practical terms, criminal law, civil law, and regulatory law already address abuse, exploitation, and misconduct in churches.

What the Law Does Not Cover

While the law addresses crimes, it intentionally does not regulate belief, doctrine, worship practices, or internal church governance.

This is not a gap. It is a constitutional safeguard.

The Constitution protects:

 • Freedom of religion and belief

 • The right of religious communities to organise and govern themselves

 • Doctrinal diversity and theological autonomy

The state is not empowered to decide:

 • Who qualifies as a legitimate pastor

 • Which doctrines are acceptable

 • How churches should structure leadership

 • Which churches are spiritually or theologically in “good standing”

This boundary exists to prevent state interference in conscience and belief.

What the CRL Proposal Seeks to Add

The draft framework proposed by the Section 22 Ad Hoc Committee introduces elements that go beyond existing law, including:

 • A sector-wide self-regulatory council

 • Certification or accreditation mechanisms

 • Public seals of good standing

 • Standardised ethical and governance benchmarks

Although described as voluntary, such mechanisms can have real consequences. Once associated with a Chapter 9 institution, they can influence public legitimacy, donor confidence, and engagement with the state.

This is where concern begins.

Why the Distinction Matters

If abuse is already criminal, accountability belongs to:

 • The police

 • Prosecutors

 • The courts

Introducing religious oversight structures risks reframing criminal conduct as a governance issue rather than a legal one. It also risks shifting responsibility away from the state’s duty to enforce the law.

More importantly, it raises a constitutional question: at what point does protecting rights become regulating religion?

Enforcement Versus Control

South Africa’s challenge has not been the absence of laws. It has been:

 • Weak investigations

 • Delayed prosecutions

 • Fear of confronting powerful figures

 • Uneven enforcement

None of these failures are resolved by regulating churches.

They are resolved by enforcing the law consistently and without fear or favour.

The Constitutional Line That Must Not Be Crossed

Religious freedom in South Africa was deliberately protected to prevent state involvement in belief and worship.

Churches must be accountable under the law.

Criminal conduct must be punished.

Victims must be protected.

But belief, worship, and spiritual governance must remain outside the reach of state-linked regulatory systems.

The Question South Africans Must Answer

The debate is no longer about whether abuse should be addressed. It already is.

The real question is whether the CRL Rights Commission is moving from its constitutional role of protecting religious rights into shaping how religious communities govern themselves.

That distinction will define the future relationship between church and state in South Africa.

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According to findings from the bank, she also accessed accounts belonging to her own family members. In total, the accounts were viewed at least 417 times without proper authorisation, raising serious concerns about misconduct and data privacy violations.

The bank concluded that her actions showed a lack of honesty and integrity, and that she no longer met the standards required to work in the financial services industry. Although she admitted to accessing the accounts, she insisted that she did so with the account holders’ permission and claimed the log entries reflected repeated recordings of the same actions rather than separate incidents.

She took the matter to the Financial Services Tribunal in an attempt to overturn the debarment. However, the tribunal rejected her appeal, saying her explanations were improbable and that the exact number of access points did not change the nature of her misconduct. It also found no evidence supporting her claim that her former partner had allowed her to view his account.

The tribunal ruled that her conduct violated multiple financial regulations and her employer’s internal policies, demonstrating a clear lack of integrity. With no grounds to challenge the bank’s decision, her application was dismissed.

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The decision follows an inquiry launched by the Standing Committee on Public Accounts, which has been scrutinising allegations of maladministration, misuse of public funds, and ongoing governance breakdowns at the RAF.

According to the RAF, the suspensions are not a declaration of guilt but a necessary step to ensure the investigation proceeds without interference. The organisation said the move reflects a commitment to transparency, accountability, and protecting public trust.

Interim leadership measures have been introduced so that operations continue while the inquiry is under way.

The situation comes amid new revelations about long-delayed disciplinary processes within the RAF. A former senior manager recently told Parliament that many cases dragged on for years because investigations were outsourced, slowing down the process. He explained that external investigators often needed significant time to build cases, after which the RAF would appoint an independent chairperson to conduct hearings.

Some employees, suspended as far back as 2021, have still not been formally charged — costing the RAF both in salaries paid to suspended staff and the allowances paid to those acting in their positions.

The latest suspensions mark another chapter in the RAF’s struggle with governance challenges as oversight bodies push for answers and reforms.

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