Civil Society Organisations Urge President Ramaphosa to Act with Speed on Precautionary Measures in Lechoenyo Matter

Johannesburg, Tuesday, 10 February 2026 — Public Interest SA confirms that it has formally dispatched a letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa requesting his urgent intervention regarding the promotion and continued placement of Brigadier General Solly Lechoenyo as General Officer Commanding of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) Special Forces, notwithstanding the serious criminal charges he faces.

The letter has been endorsed by a broad coalition of civil society organisations, including the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Campaign for Free Expression, Corruption Watch, Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution (CASAC), Defend Our Democracy, Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, Equality Collective, Human Rights Institute of South Africa, International Labour Research and Information Group, Judges Matter, Justice and Activism Hub, Lawyers for Human Rights, Legal Resources Centre, and Moxii Africa.

Furthermore, Public Interest SA notes today’s News24 reports that an application to revoke the bail of Brigadier General Lechoenyo and five of his co-accused, amid allegations of repeated and deliberate non-compliance with bail conditions, was heard yesterday at the Randburg Magistrate Court in Johannesburg, with judgment reserved.

These developments significantly heighten the urgency of the concerns already placed before the President.

Lechoenyo is one of six SANDF Special Forces members — together with Edward Albert van Devent, Herbert Mashego, Jacob Mokoena, Richard Mpoetsi and Olyn Lenardus — who appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court this week, forming part of a larger group of twelve Special Forces soldiers charged with the August 2023 murder of Lieutenant Colonel Frans Mathipa, a senior Hawks detective attached to the Crimes Against the State Unit. At the time of his death, Lt Col Mathipa was investigating the kidnapping of two Ethiopian nationals allegedly abducted by members of the Special Forces.

The broad coalition of civil society organisations reiterate that the continued placement of an accused individual in such a senior and sensitive command position poses serious risks to the integrity of ongoing investigations, the safety of witnesses, and public confidence in the rule of law.

These risks are amplified by allegations that some of the accused may already be disregarding court-imposed bail conditions.

“Tolerating the continued command of an accused officer, particularly in circumstances where multiple subordinates are also implicated, raises serious concerns for the credibility of our justice system and the constitutional principle that no one is above the law,” said Tebogo Khaas, chairperson of Public Interest SA.

“We welcome the Presidency’s acknowledgement of receipt of our letter and trust that the matter will receive the careful and prompt consideration it warrants,” added Khaas

We therefore urgently implore President Ramaphosa, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the SANDF, to act with speed to implement the precautionary measures set out in our letter, including the immediate placement of Brigadier General Lechoenyo on precautionary suspension or leave, and a review of the decision to appoint him while criminal proceedings are pending.

Decisive action at this juncture would send a clear and necessary signal that no individual, regardless of rank, is above the law, and that South Africa’s security services remain firmly anchored in constitutional values, accountability, and ethical leadership.

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Issued by: Public Interest SA