Keypoints:
- Police minister put on leave over graft allegations
- Judicial inquiry to probe cartel infiltration
- Firoz Cachalia named acting police minister
SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave amid damning allegations of corruption and interference in criminal investigations. The president, in a late-night address on July 13, also announced the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry to probe the claims.
This follows public statements by KwaZulu-Natal’s provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who accused Mchunu and other senior officials of having ties to criminal syndicates linked to drug cartels.
Mkhwanazi further alleged that Mchunu had obstructed sensitive investigations, including dismantling a police unit tasked with probing political assassinations—allegedly to shield politicians, police officers and others involved in the crimes.
‘Corruption threatens national security’ – Ramaphosa
In his national address, Ramaphosa said the allegations posed a serious threat to the country’s democratic foundations and public safety.
‘South Africans are concerned about corruption and the rise of criminality in our country, which manifests itself in the killing of innocent people, gender-based violence, gang violence, kidnappings, construction mafia criminality and many others,’ he said.
He stressed that the claims raised by Mkhwanazi called into question the very integrity of the state’s institutions. ‘In establishing this Commission of Inquiry, we are affirming our commitment to the rule of law, to transparency and accountability, and to building a South Africa in which all people are safe and secure,’ Ramaphosa added.
Mchunu accepts suspension, vows to cooperate
In a statement released on X, the minister said he supports the president’s decision and is ready to respond to the inquiry.
‘I welcome and respect the President’s decision and pledge my commitment to the process. Honour and integrity are the virtues I personally subscribe to and which we all need to make efforts to uphold. I stand ready to respond,’ Mchunu said.
To fill the vacancy, Ramaphosa appointed constitutional law professor Firoz Cachalia as acting police minister. Cachalia also chairs the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council and is expected to bring credibility to the ministry during the inquiry.
Deputy Chief Justice to lead commission
The judicial commission will be chaired by acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga and tasked with investigating the extent of criminal infiltration across law enforcement, intelligence, and the broader justice system.
‘The Commission will investigate allegations relating to the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates,’ said the president.
The announcement signals a renewed push by the Ramaphosa administration to tackle entrenched corruption within the state and restore trust in South Africa’s embattled security services.
