Senior South African police officer survives assassination attempt
In a high‑profile shooting that left Deputy Crime Intelligence Officer Maj‑Gen Feroz Khan hospitalized, police confirmed the senior officer had survived an assassination attempt while returning home to Johannesburg.
Khan was shot late on Saturday evening in a vehicle, then rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. Police said no clear motive has been identified yet, and the spokesperson cautioned against jumping to conclusions that the incident is tied to the upcoming Madlanga inquiry.
The inquiry, established after allegations of organised crime infiltration by Lt‑Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi in July, will see Khan testify as his name surfaced repeatedly in the investigation into a 2021 drug bust and a 2021 incident involving illicit gold.
The case highlights the heightened risk for witnesses in the inquiry. A December poll witness was killed in front of his family weeks after testimony, and Khan’s shooting follows an earlier wave of attacks on high‑profile officials.
Feroz Khan has not yet publicly commented on the assault, the allegations of illegal gold dealing, or the potential case‑related links.
The shooting underscores the complexity of South Africa’s policing apparatus and the scrutiny faced by senior officials amid a national inquiry into corruption, especially when allegations of illegal gold trading surface.
As the Madlanga commission gathers more testimonies, observers note that if any link can be confirmed between the shooting and Khan’s potential testimony, it could signal targeted intimidation aimed at the inquiry’s integrity.
