Senzo Mchunu refutes KZN top cop Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's claims
This comes after an explosive media briefing addressed by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi on Sunday, 6 July.
Earlier on Sunday, The South African reported that during the media briefing on Sunday, Mkhwanazi revealed that the political killings task team has uncovered a syndicate including senior politicians, senior police officials, metro police, officials in correctional services, prosecutors, and other influential businesspeople that is controlled by a drug cartel in Gauteng and KZN.
Mkhwanazi also accused the minister of police of political interference in investigations, as he reportedly ordered the task team to be disbanded and the withdrawal of 120 case dockets.
In response to Mkhwanazi's allegations, ministry of police spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi said they will be reviewing the provincial commissioner's statements and consider appropriate action.
Mogotsi said all the statements made by Mkhwanazi in public require an urgent, thorough and transparent investigation, on a proper platform.
'The Minister of Police remains committed to upholding the rule of law, ensuring accountability within the SAPS, and serving the people of South Africa with integrity,' she said.
In response to Mkhwanazi's allegations, various political parties, including the Democratic Alliance (DA) and ActionSA, have written to the Speaker of Parliament to request an urgent debate.
'The Commissioner's unprecedented claims, pointing to widespread criminal infiltration and corruption at the highest levels of the SAPS, including the Minister of Police, raises grave concerns about the integrity and functionality of the country's law enforcement leadership, and more critically the troubling national security threat this poses,' ActionSA said.
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
31 minutes ago
- The South African
O'Sullivan: Mkhwanazi overstepped his authority, must fall
Forensic investigator Paul O'Sullivan has condemned KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi for making serious allegations against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and deputy national police commissioner Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya. O'Sullivan told Newzroom Afrika that Mkhwanazi had no authority to accuse government officials of criminal conduct publicly. He claimed the commissioner crossed a line by attacking the Police Ministry, the judiciary, and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). 'The reality is that he overstepped his mark,' O'Sullivan said. 'It's not the job of a provincial commissioner to accuse the government or judiciary of criminality. That is exactly what he did today, and I want to see him fall, the sooner the better.' According to IOL , O'Sullivan revealed that he had written to the Police Minister calling for an urgent judicial commission of inquiry into Mkhwanazi's conduct. He also called for the suspension of both Mkhwanazi and national commissioner General Fannie Masemola, saying: 'If Masemola authorised what Mkhwanazi did, they can both go down together.' O'Sullivan also criticised Mkhwanazi for wearing a Special Task Force uniform during Sunday's press briefing and appearing flanked by heavily armed masked officers. 'He is not a task force member. Why was he wearing their uniform? Why was he surrounded by task force members carrying R5 rifles and wearing masks? Who is he trying to intimidate the government, the police?' O'Sullivan asked. He warned that the scene looked 'dangerously suspicious' and resembled the actions of someone threatening a coup. During Sunday's briefing, Mkhwanazi said he was ready to die for the police badge. He accused Minister Mchunu of interfering in policing matters, including disbanding the political killings task team without consulting national police leadership. Mkhwanazi also claimed cellphone analysis linked a ministerial associate to the criminal underworld. He announced plans to open a criminal case against Mchunu. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
an hour ago
- The Citizen
KZN police commissioner fires scathing claims at police minister
KZN police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi yesterday dropped a bombshell in a media briefing in Durban, laying bare the state of grave interference by prominent figures in police investigations, Berea Mail reports. 'In the year 2024, a request was received from the Gauteng Organised Crime Investigation Unit to assist with the investigation to dismantle the organised crime syndicate operating in KZN and throughout the country. 'The provincial commissioner of KZN decided to deploy 10 members from the Political Killings Task Team to support the Gauteng Organised Crime Investigation Unit. 'This investigation has unmasked the syndicate, which involves politicians, law enforcement (SAPS, Metro Police and Correctional Services), prosecutors and the judiciary, and is controlled by a drug cartel as well as business people,' claimed Mkhwanazi. He highlighted that evidence had been found in cellphone records linking Police Minister Senzo Mchunu with some accused senior officers. The minister has rejected the 'baseless allegations' by the KZN police commissioner. Police Ministry spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi said: 'The minister of police will never allow his integrity, that of the ministry or the SAPS at large to be undermined by insinuations made without evidence or due processes, from anyone, including Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi. We will be reviewing the provincial commissioner's statements and considering appropriate action. All these statements made by him in public require an urgent, thorough and transparent investigation on a proper platform.' Political parties are calling for the recusal of the minister and urgent action from President Cyril Ramaphosa, who said: 'This is a matter of grave national security concern that is receiving the highest priority attention. It is vital that the integrity of the country's security services is safeguarded and that the rule of law is affirmed. 'All parties to this matter are called upon to exercise discipline and restraint. The trading of accusations and counter-accusations threatens to undermine public confidence and sow confusion. Furthermore, these actions damage the unity and focus of the police.' Ramaphosa will outline the actions to be taken on this matter on his return from the Brics Leaders' Summit currently underway in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
SAPS saga: Academic urges Ramaphosa to act against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu or ANC will suffer
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. Image: Jacques Naude / Independent Newspapers Renowned criminologist, Prof Kholofelo Rakubu who is the head of Department at Tshwane University of Technology's merged Department of Law, Safety and Security Management, has saluted KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi after he made damning allegations against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, and deputy national police commissioner, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya. In an interview with IOL, Rakubu said Mkhwanazi has shown an unprecedented degree of courage in taking South Africans into his confidence over the shenanigans bedeviling SAPS, affecting service delivery at the grassroots level. 'President Cyril Ramaphosa will be coming back (from the BRICS Summit in Brazil), he should make sure that he protects South Africans, and he cuts all these lines. Should he not, the African National Congress is going to suffer dismally. It is going to suffer tremendously. Their backs are against the wall now,' said the academic. 'What Mkhwanazi has done is commendable. Should the chain of command and the chain of communication be broken to this extent, by political infiltration, one has no option but to use platforms like what Mkhwanazi did.' She said after Mkhwanazi's press briefing, which stirred the hornet's nest, South Africans should expect much more propaganda targeted at the KwaZulu-Natal provincial police boss. Renowned criminologist, Prof Kholofelo Rakubu who is the Head of Department at Tshwane University of Technology's Department of Law, Safety and Security Management spoke to IOL on the SAPS saga. Image: Supplied 'As an example, an issue is being made about the uniform he was wearing. He has previously worn that uniform before, tackling crime. There were no questions raised at that time. Now what is happening now is just politicking. We can expect more propaganda against Mkhwanazi because that is how the crux of politics in South Africa operates. There are going to be scandals and scandals to shake South Africans. We should anticipate that at this stage,' said Rakubu. She added that the ructions at the top echelons of the SAPS affect service delivery in the whole chain of policing, up to the police station in a community. She pointed out that morale is remarkably low among police officers, and the recent revelations might further dampen the mood. 'I am sure there are certain officers who do not even bother with arrests, chasing criminals or doing investigations because they understand all these dynamics and political infiltration within SAPS, and the magnitude of corruption. They will not even waste their resources,' said Rakubu. Earlier on Monday, IOL reported that the ongoing ruckus within the South African Police Service is set to take another twist when national commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, announces the appointment of an acting divisional commissioner for the crime intelligence unit. Several high-ranking police officers, including the national head of crime intelligence, Lieutenant-General Dumisani Khumalo, were recently arrested and appeared in a Pretoria court. Khumalo and the other six top cops – crime intelligence chief financial officer (CFO) Philani Lushaba, crime intelligence technical support system manager Brigadier Dineo Mokwele, Gauteng crime intelligence boss Major General Josias Lekalakala, head of the analysis centre Major General Nosipho Precious Madondo, Major General Zwelithini Gabela of the police's technology services, and head of the vetting office Brigadier Phindile Ncube – all appeared before the Pretoria Magistrate's Court last month. KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Image: Screenshot Following an explosive weekend where Mkhwanazi's briefing attracted widespread reactions, on Monday morning, the SAPS said normal day-to-day policing operations are continuing across the country. Apart from the announcement of the acting divisional commissioner for crime intelligence, Masemola is expected to update the media on ongoing police operations that are underway, aimed at preventing and combating crime in the country. "The General assures the nation that daily crime combatting operations and normal day-to-day policing at stations and other SAPS service points continues," said SAPS national spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe.
