Senior South African police officer survives assassination attempt

Maj-Gen Feroz Khan – the deputy head of crime intelligence – was shot Sunday evening while driving home in Johannesburg.

The gunmen fired at his vehicle, but Khan survived after being rushed to hospital for emergency surgery.

Police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said investigators were examining the shooting, ruling out a direct link to his upcoming testimony in the Madlanga inquiry.

The inquiry was convened following allegations by Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi that organised crime was infiltrating the police force.

Khan had been arrested in May on charges of illegal gold dealing and possession of precious metals, ties that could link him to political figures Julius Malema and Brown Mogotsi.

Earlier this month, Khan requested that the inquiry be barred from accessing electronic devices seized during his arrest, but he later abandoned that demand.

The shooting may be the second attack on a witness linked to the inquiry, following the murder of a witness in December.

His survival underscores the high stakes of the inquiry and the risks faced by those involved.