PRETORIA — Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has accepted President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to place him on a leave of absence following serious allegations of interference in police investigations.
The announcement came after KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of meddling with sensitive investigations and colluding with business figures, including one facing murder charges, to dismantle the Political Killings Task Team in KwaZulu-Natal.
President Ramaphosa said a judicial commission of inquiry will investigate claims that organised crime syndicates have infiltrated law enforcement and intelligence agencies, implicating senior political figures such as Mchunu. The commission will be chaired by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, with Advocates Sesi Baloyi SC and Sandile Khumalo SC assisting. Interim reports are expected within three and six months, followed by a final report.
Mchunu responded by expressing his support for the inquiry and pledged full cooperation. “Honour and integrity are the virtues I personally subscribe to. I stand ready to respond to the accusations against me and account to the citizens of the Republic, fully and honestly so,” he said.
To maintain continuity at the police ministry, Ramaphosa has appointed Professor Firoz Cachalia, chair of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council and former Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, as acting Minister of Police. A temporary appointment from within the Cabinet will fill the role until Cachalia assumes duties in August.
The president stressed the importance of addressing the allegations swiftly to protect public confidence in the South African Police Service.
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