President has announced a commission of inquiry into allegations that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has ties to criminal gangs and interfered in investigations into politically motivated murders.
The announcement comes a week after Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, KwaZulu-Natal’s police commissioner, publicly targeting organized crime.
Despite Mchunu’s denials, the allegations dominated headlines throughout the week, prompting widespread calls from across the political spectrum for Ramaphosa to act.
“The allegations made in this media briefing raise serious concerns around the Constitution, the rule of law and national security,” Ramaphosa said Sunday.
Mchunu placed on leave as broad probe launched
Ramaphosa placed Mchunu on a leave of absence with immediate effect and appointed an acting police minister.
His position will be filled by Professor Firoz Cachalia of the University of the Witwatersrand, who is not a member of the National Assembly. He is expected to assume the post at the end of July.
Meanwhile, Ramaphosa said the commission—headed by the country’s deputy chief justice—will investigate claims that criminal groups have infiltrated the police, intelligence services and other parts of the justice system.
“The commission will investigate the role of current or former senior officials in certain institutions who may have aided or abetted the alleged criminal activity; failed to act on credible intelligence or internal warnings; or benefited financially or politically from a syndicate’s operations,” he said.
“It is critical that these matters be attended to with the necessary urgency and thoroughness,” Ramaphosa added.
The commission is expected to deliver its first interim report within three months and complete its work within a year.
What are the allegations against Mchunu?
In 2018, the South African Police Service formed a task team to focus on political killings. The team has investigated more than 600 cases, arrested 436 suspects and recovered 156 firearms—at least 55 of which were linked to political crimes.
At the end of last year, Mchunu requested that the unit be disbanded. When that did not happen, the unit’s dockets containing information on political killings were seized.
Mkhwanazi said Mchunu and Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya shut down the task team because it had uncovered links between politicians, police, prosecutors, businesspeople and drug cartels.
He said the case files were removed from the unit on the minister’s and Sibiya’s instructions, without the authorization of his superior, National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola.
He also claimed Mchunu received funding for his “political endeavors” from a businessman facing corruption allegations.
Mchunu has denied Mkhwanazi’s claims, calling them “baseless.”
Edited by: Jenipher Camino Gonzalez
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