South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu with immediate effect following explosive allegations of corruption and interference in law enforcement operations. The suspension comes in response to sworn testimony by General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, KwaZulu-Natal’s provincial police commissioner, who accused Mchunu and Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya of obstructing investigations and collaborating with organized crime networks. In a national address, Ramaphosa confirmed the minister was being placed on indefinite leave to allow an independent commission of inquiry to conduct a full investigation. “To ensure the integrity of the process and the credibility of our institutions, I have placed Minister Mchunu on leave. He has pledged full cooperation with the Commission,” said the president.
Ramaphosa appointed Professor Firoz Cachalia, a respected legal academic and former Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, as acting Minister of Police. The inquiry, according to the president, will examine whether senior current or former officials deliberately enabled or ignored organized criminal activity, and whether any of them personally benefited from these alleged operations. Mkhwanazi’s testimony before Parliament revealed that a key crime-fighting task force investigating politically linked killings and corruption was suddenly disbanded under Mchunu’s instruction. The general also alleged attempts by top police leadership to suppress investigations into politically sensitive cases.
These revelations have sparked political uproar. The Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters condemned the president’s decision as inadequate, calling for Mchunu’s outright dismissal and possible arrest. The scandal has further eroded public confidence in South Africa’s police service, already marred by allegations of corruption, mismanagement, and political meddling. Civil society groups are now demanding swift justice and full transparency from the commission’s proceedings. The inquiry is expected to begin public hearings in the coming weeks.
