President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave and appointed Professor Firoz Cachalia as the new acting Minister of Police, effective August 1.
This comes after explosive claims were made by Lt Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, during a media briefing held on July 6, when he revealed details of a deeply entrenched criminal syndicate allegedly operating within South Africa’s policing and intelligence circles.
The President, addressing the nation from the Union Buildings on Sunday evening, announced the establishment of a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the alleged infiltration of law enforcement and intelligence institutions by organised crime networks.
President Ramaphosa said the allegations made by Mkhwanazi were “serious and alarming,” and if proven true, “threaten to undermine the confidence of South Africans in the ability of the police to fight crime and corruption.”
The allegations include interference in sensitive police investigations by a senior political figure, believed to be the current Police Minister, as well as claims of collusion with underworld figures, including a murder accused.
To enable a fair and uninterrupted investigation, the President said, “I have decided to put the Minister of Police Mr Senzo Mchunu on a leave of absence with immediate effect.” He confirmed that Mchunu had agreed to cooperate fully with the Commission.
In his place, Professor Firoz Cachalia has been named as the new acting Minister of Police. Cachalia, a constitutional law expert and former Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, is currently chairing the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council.
Professor Cachalia will formally assume office in August, following his retirement from the University of the Witwatersrand. In the interim, an acting minister will be appointed from within Cabinet ranks.
The Commission will be chaired by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, with Advocates Sesi Baloyi SC and Sandile Khumalo SC as commissioners. It is expected to submit interim reports within three and six months, and a final report to the President and National Assembly upon completion.
The terms of the inquiry cover a wide scope, including claims that law enforcement leaders colluded with criminal networks, manipulated investigations, and targeted whistleblowers. The probe will extend into the SAPS, metro police, correctional services, judiciary, NPA, SSA and other arms of the state.
President Ramaphosa said the Commission “has the power to refer matters for immediate criminal investigation,” and can recommend employment suspensions where necessary.
The Commission is expected to deliver interim reports within the 3- and 6-month marks, and a final report to be submitted directly to the President upon completion. That final report will also be sent to the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chief Justice. The President stressed that the inquiry must be conducted with “urgency and thoroughness,” given the serious nature of the allegations.