Suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has officially resumed his duties as an ANC National Executive Committee member, five months after stepping aside. In his first public appearance as an NEC member, Mchunu delivered a eulogy at the funeral of ANC member, Bhekabathethwa Mthethwa in Richards Bay.
Mchunu appeared before the Ad Hoc Committee and the Madlanga Commission to justify his decision to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) and respond to allegations of corruption, specifically regarding ties to controversial businessman Vusumusi ‘Cat’ Matlala and interfering with police operations. This was after KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of instructing the disbandment of the PKTT on December 31, 2024 without consulting national police leadership, allegedly to protect politically connected individuals.
ANC Step-Aside Policy
In terms of the ANC’s step-aside policy, once a member is criminally charged, he or she must stop representing the party both in government and political platforms. However, Mchunu was not criminally charged, and his spokesperson Sithembiso Mshengu stated that he voluntarily stepped aside to protect the image of the ANC after Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s accusations.
Mchunu was placed on special leave in July following Mkhwanazi’s explosive claims. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa reiterated his decision not to dismiss Mchunu from his Cabinet when responding to parliamentary questions from MK Party MP Vusi Shongwe. Ramaphosa said he placed Mchunu on special leave so that the allegations made by Mkhwanazi can be examined, as explained on the official government website.
Allegations and Investigations
Shongwe said serious allegations and evidence presented before the Ad Hoc Committee implicated Mchunu. He asked whether the threshold for executive accountability was only triggered after criminal convictions, and whether political and ethical standards expected of members of the executive were no longer required to take decisive action when Parliament uncovers serious governance failures.
In response, Ramaphosa underscored the gravity of Mkhwanazi’s allegations, which he stated could have significant consequences for national security and public safety. The President established a Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System to investigate the allegations, as per the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development website.
Some of the key issues that will be investigated include:
- The disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT)
- Allegations of corruption and ties to controversial businessman Vusumusi ‘Cat’ Matlala
- Interfering with police operations
Mchunu’s decision to resume his duties as an ANC NEC member has sparked controversy, with some questioning whether he should be allowed to continue in his role while the allegations are still being investigated.
