Top South African police officer reportedly survives assassination attempt

One of South Africa’s most senior police officers has survived an attempted assassination in Johannesburg, police say.

Deputy crime intelligence boss, Maj-Gen Feroz Khan, was shot on Sunday evening as he was driving home and has since been rushed to hospital for emergency surgery, local media say.

The shooting comes just days before Khan was due to appear before a public inquiry set up to investigate criminality in South Africa’s police force, the BBC reports.

South African police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said in a statement released on Monday that police were investigating.

“It is premature and irresponsible to speculate on any possible motive or to conclude that the incident is linked to his anticipated appearance before the [inquiry]”, she said.

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The inquiry, known as the Madlanga commission, was set up after senior police officer Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged last July that organised crime groups had infiltrated the government.

Khan, and two other people, were arrested last month for alleged illegal dealing in, and unlawful possession of, precious metals.

This stems from a 2021 incident when a businessman was found with unwrought gold weighing 75.9g (2.7 oz) at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo international airport.

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