South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the formation of a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate explosive allegations that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has ties to criminal gangs and obstructed investigations into politically motivated murders.
The announcement, made during a televised address, follows a week of mounting pressure after Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, KwaZulu-Natal’s provincial police commissioner, publicly accused Mchunu and other senior officials of interfering with law enforcement operations targeting organized crime.
“The allegations made in this media briefing raise serious concerns around the Constitution, the rule of law and national security,” Ramaphosa stated.
In response, Ramaphosa placed Mchunu on immediate leave of absence and appointed Professor Firoz Cachalia, a respected law academic and chair of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council, as acting Minister of Police. Cachalia is expected to formally assume the role at the end of July.
The commission, to be chaired by the country’s Deputy Chief Justice, will probe: alleged infiltration of law enforcement and intelligence agencies by criminal groups, the role of current and former senior officials in enabling or benefiting from syndicate operations, failures to act on credible intelligence or internal warnings , and alleged financial or political gains tied to organized crime
Ramaphosa emphasized the urgency of the inquiry:
“It is critical that these matters be attended to with the necessary urgency and thoroughness.”
