Feroz Khan loses Labour Court bid as Madlanga commission appearance hangs in the balance

Suspended Crime Intelligence deputy head Major-General Feroz Khan suffered a legal setback after the Labour Court struck off his urgent application to halt a disciplinary process that found him guilty of misconduct and bringing the South African Police Service into disrepute.

Labour Court decision

Labour Court Judge Connie Prinsloo struck Khan’s urgent application off the roll on Monday, 31 August 2026, according to eNCA. The court found it did not have jurisdiction to deal with the matter, the report said.

Expedited disciplinary process and its outcome

The disciplinary proceedings were conducted under SAPS Regulation 9, which allows serious misconduct matters to be dealt with through an “expeditious process”. The inquiry was chaired by KwaZulu-Natal district commissioner Jabulani Khumalo on 25 and 26 August.

Khan’s legal representatives attended proceedings on 12 August and requested a postponement. Khan was absent again the following day despite being given an opportunity to participate virtually. The hearing continued without him, resulting in a finding of guilt and a reported recommendation that dismissal was the appropriate sanction.

The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (Popcru), which acted on Khan’s behalf, was reportedly ordered to pay the costs of the Labour Court application.

Previous litigation and calls for accountability

Khan previously challenged SAPS from conducting the expeditious disciplinary process before the Labour Court in December 2024. Ian Cameron, chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police, posted on X that the development raised questions about when Khan would answer the matters before him, saying: “Accountability cannot be litigated away.”

Madlanga Commission appearance uncertain

Khan was due to testify before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on 1 September, but reports that he had been re-admitted to hospital put his appearance on hold. His lawyer, Muhammed Vally, was expected to seek a postponement.

Commission spokesperson Jeremy Michaels confirmed that Khan remains under subpoena and said:

“It is important for the commission to hear Major-General Khan’s side of the story and therefore, he is required to testify before the commission.”

According to reporting by The Citizen, the publication previously covered the extent of Khan’s injuries amid claims that the shooting might have been staged.

Injury and medical treatment

Khan was shot in Houghton, Johannesburg, on 28 June. He was treated at Milpark Hospital and discharged in mid-July.

Commission timetable

The commission will take a brief recess: public hearings are suspended from 3 September until 11 September, with proceedings expected to resume on 14 September. The deadline for completing the taking of evidence was extended to 2 October, and the commission must submit its final report by 16 November, following an extension by the President in July.