Johannesburg – South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has told the Madlanga commission that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu is connected to criminal syndicates, saying evidence of the links already exists.
The testimony was heard on Wednesday at the Brigitte Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria, where the judicial commission of inquiry opened its public hearings. Chaired by retired judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga, the inquiry is investigating criminality, political interference and corruption in the South African Police Service (Saps) and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Mkhwanazi said he discovered through a WhatsApp message and a leaked letter that Mchunu had disbanded KwaZulu-Natal’s political killings task team at the end of December 2024. The letter, addressed to national police commissioner Fannie Masemola, reached him through a friend rather than official communication.
The top cop told the commission the decision would seriously affect cases already before the courts. He also questioned whether the minister had authority to interfere in operational policing matters, arguing that his powers were limited to policy-making.
Mkhwanazi described the decision as misplaced, saying the task team had recorded strong results. He said he believed someone may have influenced Mchunu, who is currently on special leave. Despite several attempts to meet him, including direct messages via WhatsApp, Mkhwanazi said no meeting ever materialised.
The commissioner went further, testifying that Mchunu appeared “to some degree” to be working with criminals. He said communications obtained by police investigators suggested the minister was involved in decisions taken by syndicates. He added that members of the disbanded unit were ready to testify under oath to back his account.
Mkhwanazi also referred to messages exchanged between businessmen Oupa “Brown” Mogotsi and Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, which he said pointed to collusion aimed at protecting Matlala from investigations. Matlala was denied bail on Wednesday in an attempted murder case.
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