Police minister Senzo Mchunu is facing mounting political pressure amid allegations that his conduct may have undermined the integrity of the criminal justice system.
The claims, made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, have sparked tension in the ANC, with secretary-general Fikile Mbalula saying Mchunu owes the party’s leadership an explanation.
Mbalula said President Cyril Ramaphosa should be the first point of engagement.
The allegations prompted Ramaphosa on Sunday to issue a statement calling for calm within the police ranks, adding that he would attend to the matter after he returned from the Brics summit in Brazil.
“This is a serious matter. It has to do with the security of our people, but it also has to do with our adherence to the rule of law,” Ramaphosa told reporters after the conclusion of the summit on Monday.
“Those who have done wrong should be dealt with and should be dealt with thoroughly in terms of our constitution and our laws,” he said, adding that he would be engaging in discussions with a “number of people” before deciding on a way forward.
Opposition parties and political parties in the government of national unity (GNU) have raised concern over the matter.
The DA has called for a parliamentary debate into the allegations while the IFP, also in the GNU, has called for Mchunu’s suspension and an independent inquiry into the matter.
Mkhwanazi’s remarks, made during a high-profile briefing, have reignited long-standing concerns about political interference in policing operations, particularly in a province grappling with high levels of violent crime and organised criminal networks.
Though he rejected the allegations made by Mkhwanazi, Mchunu, through spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi, said an investigation would be conducted.
“We will be reviewing the provincial commissioner’s statements and consider appropriate action,” Mogotsi said.
“All these statements made by him in public require an urgent, thorough and transparent investigation, on a proper platform.”
Mkhwanazi alleged that Mchunu instructed the national police leadership to disband the province’s specialised task team probing political assassinations, without prior consultation or explanation.
The task team, which had handled more than 120 politically sensitive cases, was abruptly dissolved in late 2024, with several dockets reportedly removed and shelved in Pretoria, Mkhwanazi said.
The commissioner claimed that the dissolution of the unit was part of a broader effort to derail investigations into organised criminal syndicates operating across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
These networks are believed to involve senior politicians, high-ranking police officers, prosecutors and members of the judiciary, he said.
Ian Cameron, chair of the parliamentary portfolio committee on police, said at a media briefing on Monday that the committee had called for an integrity commission and the reconfiguration of the crime intelligence environment after the allegations by Mkhwanazi.
Cameron also called for external, independent audits for all senior SAPS officers from brigadier and above to address the concerns about vetting and security clearances.
“The revelations paint a picture of a very weak system, a very broken system, obviously a corrupt one, corruption riddled in the entire institution of the criminal justice system, and a system that can be manipulated at the whims of a few politically connected or otherwise,” he said.
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