Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and other senior officials of interfering in investigations into political assassinations to protect people with political connections.
Mkhwanazi, who is responsible for police operations in KwaZulu-Natal province and has previously served as acting police commissioner, also accused other officials of blocking police efforts against organized crime.
According to the AFP news agency, Mchunu has denied these allegations as “insinuations without evidence or due process.”
Ramaphosa has labeled the matter as a “grave national security concern,” stating that it is “receiving the highest priority attention.”
“Preserving the integrity of the country’s security services and upholding the rule of law is crucial,” the president said in a statement released on Sunday evening.
Lawmakers in South Africa demand action from Ramaphosa
Politicians from across the political spectrum have called for the president to take action.
The Democratic Alliance (DA), the second-largest party in Ramaphosa’s governing coalition, has called for an urgent debate in Parliament regarding corruption within the South African Police Service (SAPS).
“Our country will never effectively combat violent crime, and our streets will never be safe, until the SAPS demonstrates robust integrity management both internally and externally,” said Ian Cameron, the DA’s representative and chair of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police.
David Skosana, another member of the committee and representing the uMkhonto weSizwe party, has urged Mkhwanazi to file charges against Mchunu within 24 hours.
The Economic Freedom Fighters have called for the immediate suspension of Mchunu and Deputy National Police Commissioner for Crime Detection Lt. Gen. Shadrack Sibiya, who is also implicated.
The Inkatha Freedom Party, whose deputy chief whip in Parliament, Khethamabala Sithole, was murdered in what appeared to be a politically motivated killing in May, wants the president to establish an independent commission of inquiry.
“The integrity of the SAPS is alleged to be completely compromised, and the country has ample reason to be concerned,” the party stated.
Conflict within the Police Force
South Africa holds one of the highest crime rates worldwide.
A report released last year by the Switzerland-based Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime documented a 108% increase in targeted killings, particularly political killings at the local municipal level, over the past decade.
In 2018, SAPS established a task force to focus on political killings. This team has investigated over 600 cases, arrested 436 suspects, and confiscated 156 firearms — with at least 55 linked to political crimes, according to the Daily Maverick, a local media outlet.
At the end of last year, Mchunu requested that the unit be disbanded. When this was not done, the unit’s dockets containing information on political killings were seized, effectively halting the investigations.
Mkhwanazi stated that Mchunu closed down the task team due to its discovery of links between drug cartels, politicians, police, and prosecutors, as reported by the Mail & Guardian newspaper.
“All these public statements require an urgent, thorough, and transparent investigation on an appropriate platform,” Mchunu said.
Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru
