Top South African police officer 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.

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.

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.

The businessman claimed he was acting as an undercover agent linked to senior police officers when questioned.

Investigators later found that "no authorised undercover operation involving precious metals existed at the time" but instead Khan, and another officer "instructed officers" to release the businessman, prosecutors said in May.

He has not yet commented on the allegations but had been freed on bail.

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