Johannesburg, South Africa – As Major-General Feroz Khan lies in a hospital bed following a brazen assassination attempt, the full, sordid details of his alleged reign over a dark web of police corruption have begun to emerge. The Madlanga Commission of Inquiry has recently been presented with a mountain of evidence that paints a picture of a senior Crime Intelligence officer who treated the South African Police Service (SAPS) budget as his own personal customisation fund, allegedly rigging tenders to "pimp out" luxury vehicles while pocketing millions in kickbacks.
The scale of the alleged corruption is staggering. At the heart of the investigation is a R54-million auto parts contract that investigators claim was systematically rigged by Khan. In an affidavit read into the record by Advocate Adila Hassim SC, it is alleged that the suspended Deputy Head of Crime Intelligence facilitated a massive R92.4-million kickback scheme. The evidence suggests that taxpayer money, intended for the maintenance of essential police services, was instead diverted into a high-end garage of modified cars and "pimped-out" personal vehicles.
The Madlanga Commission, which has been tasked with uncovering the rot within the SAPS, heard that Khan acted as a "centrifugal force" in a network that connected senior police officials with influential businessmen and tobacco industry bosses. One such figure, a businessman identified as Sayed, is reportedly linked to Khan through a series of incriminating WhatsApp chats. These messages allegedly show Khan providing confidential information and actively protecting Sayed’s interests, particularly regarding lucrative Covid-19 tender deals.
The timing of the assassination attempt on Khan, which occurred on June 29, 2026, has not gone unnoticed. The hit took place just two days before he was scheduled to testify before the commission, leading many to believe that it was a desperate attempt to silence a man who knows where too many bodies—and too many millions—are buried. Despite his absence, the commission proceeded to read his evidence into the record, ensuring that the allegations against him were made public.
Khan’s name is already infamous within investigative circles. He has previously been linked to the explosive 2021 Aeroton cocaine heist, where millions of rands worth of drugs were stolen from a secure police facility. The latest evidence suggests that his influence extended far beyond narcotics, reaching into the very procurement systems that are supposed to ensure the SAPS is equipped to fight crime. Instead, investigators claim, the system was used to enrich a small clique of corrupt officers and their private-sector associates.
The "pimped-out cars" aspect of the scandal has particularly incensed a public already weary of state capture. While ordinary South Africans struggle with rising crime and a police force that often claims to be under-resourced, a senior general was allegedly using public funds to install high-end modifications on luxury vehicles. This blatant display of opulence, funded by the state, serves as a visceral symbol of the culture of entitlement that has taken root in certain sections of the police service.
Advocate Hassim told the commission that the evidence against Khan is "overwhelming and deeply disturbing." She noted that the rigged tenders were not isolated incidents but part of a "coordinated effort to bypass internal controls and ensure that specific vendors were awarded contracts in exchange for significant financial rewards." The commission has also heard testimony regarding Khan’s alleged operational interference, where he reportedly used his position to thwart investigations that threatened his associates.
The South African Police Service has been forced into a defensive position by the revelations. Acting National Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane, has stated that the SAPS is "fully cooperating" with the Madlanga Commission and that internal disciplinary processes are ongoing. However, for many observers, the Khan scandal is yet another indication that the rot within Crime Intelligence goes far deeper than a few "bad apples."
The tobacco industry links are another major focal point for the inquiry. Evidence suggests that Khan was a key player in ensuring that certain tobacco bosses remained protected from prosecution, in exchange for a share of the massive profits generated by the illicit trade. This "protection racket," allegedly operated from within the highest levels of Crime Intelligence, has cost the South African fiscus billions in lost tax revenue.
As the Madlanga Commission continues its work, the focus will remain on the web of associates that Khan allegedly cultivated. The investigation into the assassination attempt is also a high priority, as authorities seek to determine who ordered the hit on one of the country’s most senior police officers. Whether Khan will ever be fit enough to face the commission in person remains to be seen, but the evidence already on the record has ensured that his legacy will be one of scandal and betrayal.
The story of Feroz Khan is a masterclass in the capture of state institutions for personal gain. It is a narrative that combines the high-stakes world of international drug trafficking and tobacco smuggling with the petty greed of "pimping out" luxury cars. As the nation watches the proceedings of the Madlanga Commission, the question is no longer just about the guilt of one man, but about whether the South African Police Service can ever truly be purged of the corruption that has defined so much of its recent history.
The "General’s Garage" may be closed for now, but the fallout from its operations will be felt for years to come. For the taxpayers who funded the R54-million tender and the R92.4-million kickbacks, the only hope is that the commission’s findings will finally lead to real accountability and a police service that serves the people, rather than its own generals.
