Mineral & petroleum resources minister Gwede Mantashe has been appointed acting minister of police with immediate effect, the presidency announced on Tuesday.
It said Mantashe will serve in this capacity until Firoz Cachalia, who will retire from his position at the University of the Witwatersrand at the end of July, assumes the post in August.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Mantashe will retain his responsibilities as minister of mineral & petroleum resources.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said in an address to the nation on Sunday night that he had placed police minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave, replacing him with Cachalia.
Ramaphosa also announced that he had established a judicial commission of inquiry chaired by acting deputy chief justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga to investigate allegations relating to the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates.
This is after explosive revelations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi who alleged that deputy national commissioner Shadrack Sibiya and Mchunu had obstructed justice, stalled investigations into political killings and organised crime, and shielded politically connected suspects.
He alleged that on March 26 a total of 121 case dockets under investigation were taken away from the political killings task team as directed by Sibiya acting on the instruction of the Mchunu, to disband the task team.
TimesLIVE
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.