Latest news with #FirozCachalia
The Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- The Herald
Giving cops licence to kill isn't the answer: incoming acting minister Cachalia
Giving the police a licence to kill is not the answer to crime, says incoming acting police minister Firoz Cachalia, who will take up the job on August 1. In an interview at his home in Johannesburg with Sunday Times deputy editor Mike Siluma, Cachalia said tough talk does not reduce crime and may worsen it. 'We've had ministers and national commissioners who appear to think the problem can be solved through tough rhetoric. Strong language and firmness must be communicated to the public but I do not believe that skop, skiet en donner brings down crime. What it does is criminalise the police because they then start acting unlawfully.' Cachalia said police must be equipped, trained and empowered to use force but only within the bounds of the law. 'Shoot to kill — giving the police a licence to murder is not the answer [to reduce crime]. The police have to be well protected, well trained to use force, but they must be able to use force within the limits of the law.' Tackling violent and organised crime requires professional detective work, not political slogans. 'When you have highly trained detectives, with good [solid] information and intelligence — that's the way to deal with syndicates. If you want to deal with organised crime you need your smartest people, your most capable people who know how to carry out these investigations, see the patterns. I believe in professional and effective policing.' Cachalia takes up the post amid instability in the police ministry after KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged police minister Senzo Mchunu and senior police officers interfered in investigations. Mkhwanazi also claimed to have evidence of police involvement in high-profile crime syndicates. TimesLIVE
Zawya
4 days ago
- Politics
- Zawya
President Ramaphosa appoints acting Minister of Police
President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, as Acting Minister of Police with immediate effect. Minister Mantashe will serve in this capacity until Prof Firoz Cachalia, who will retire from his position at the University of the Witwatersrand at the end of this month, assumes his position at the start of August. Minister Mantashe will retain his responsibilities as Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa.
The Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald
Gwede Mantashe appointed as acting police minister
Minister of mineral and petroleum resources Gwede Mantashe has been appointed as acting minister of police with immediate effect, the presidency announced. It said Mantashe will serve in this capacity until Prof Firoz Cachalia, who will retire from his position at the University of the Witwatersrand at the end of July, assumes the post in August. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Mantashe will retain his responsibilities as minister of mineral and petroleum resources. Addressing the nation on Sunday evening, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced he had placed minister of police Senzo Mchunu on special leave, replacing him with Cachalia. Ramaphosa also announced that he had established a judicial commission of inquiry chaired by acting deputy chief justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga to investigate allegations relating to the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates. This is after explosive revelations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi who alleged that deputy national commissioner Shadrack Sibiya and Mchunu had obstructed justice, stalled investigations into political killings and organised crime, and shielded politically connected suspects. He alleged that on March 26 a total of 121 case dockets under investigation were taken away from the political killings task team as directed by Sibiya acting on the instruction of the Mchunu, to disband the task team. TimesLIVE
The South African
4 days ago
- Politics
- The South African
Incoming acting police minister blasts 'corruption in ANC'
Professor Firoz Cachalia , the incoming acting Minister of Police, has strongly criticised corruption within the ANC, calling it 'an enormous source of shame.' In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Kachalia said his political loyalties will not stop him from tackling wrongdoing. He pledged to act even if it involves members of his own party. 'My ANC conscience requires that I tackle these challenges with principles and a clear commitment to the country's democratic institutions,' he said. 'Corruption in the ANC is an enormous source of shame to me and to many of us.' Kachalia said he accepted President Cyril Ramaphosa's offer 'without a second's hesitation,' describing the role as an extension of his lifelong work in defending South Africa's democracy. The presidency announced the appointment will take effect from 1 August, after his academic term at the University of the Witwatersrand ends. The appointment has drawn political fire. The Economic Freedom Fighters and the MK Party claim the move violates Section 98 of the Constitution. They argue the president cannot assign ministerial functions to someone outside Cabinet. Kachalia defended the decision, noting that the president can appoint two ministers who are not Members of Parliament. 'These are political and ethical questions, not legal ones,' he said. 'The president had to act.' Asked about his approach to cleaning up the police ministry amid allegations of political interference and criminal infiltration. Kachalia said he would start by consulting senior police leadership and listening to their views. He also welcomed the formation of a judicial commission of inquiry, calling it a valuable fact-finding tool that will assist his office. 'The process that I need to follow is quite clear,' he said. 'I'm going to have the benefit of an objective, reliable process conducted by experienced judges.' Kachalia also chairs the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council, which recently submitted a midterm and closeout report to the presidency. The reports highlight deep structural failures in SAPS crime intelligence and recommend urgent reforms, including the creation of a new anti-corruption agency. While the presidency has not yet made the report public or acted on its proposals, Kachalia said he now has an opportunity to bring those ideas into the Ministry of Police. He admitted the processing of the report 'has taken too long' and emphasised the urgency of implementing reforms. Kachalia will perform his duties in full for as long as the president retains him, despite the post being described as 'acting.' 'Once I'm sworn in, I'm the Minister of Police until the president says otherwise,' he said. 'And if he allows me to continue, I will.' 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.
Bloomberg
4 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
South African President Names Mantashe Acting Police Minister
South Africa's president appointed Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe as acting police minister with immediate effect. Mantashe will temporarily assume the role until Firoz Cachalia, a university professor and former provincial minister of community safety in Gauteng, takes over at the start of August, President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement Tuesday. Cachalia is set to retire from his post at the University of the Witwatersrand at the end of the month.
