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Professor Firoz Cachalia has been appointed as acting minister of police.
President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday night announced that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has been placed on a leave of absence.
This comes after allegations that the minister interfered in police investigations and has an improper relationship with police service provider Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
The president said Professor Firoz Cachalia has been appointed as acting minister of police.
Mchunu put on leave
Ramaphosa also said he will establish a commission of inquiry to look into the infiltration of law enforcement agencies by criminal elements.
“The minister has undertaken to give his full cooperation to the commission to enable it to do its work,” said Ramaphosa.
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He said the commission will investigate allegations relating to the infiltration of law enforcement, intelligence and associated institutions within the criminal justice system by criminal syndicates.
“These allegations call for an urgent and comprehensive investigation. To address these allegations and the implications of these allegations, I’m establishing a judicial commission of inquiry that will be chaired by acting deputy chief justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga,” said Ramaphosa.
Cachalia is a professor of law at the University of the Witwatersrand and is the chairperson of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council. He previously served as the MEC of Community Safety in Gauteng.
Explosive allegations by Mkhwanazi
Ramaphosa took this action after KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi last week alleged that Mchunu interfered in police investigations. He also claimed that a syndicate was operating in Gauteng which involved a drug cartel, politicians and police officials.
“These allegations, if proven true, threaten to undermine the confidence of South Africans in the ability of the South African Police Service to protect them and to effectively fight crime and corruption,” said Ramaphosa.
“South Africans are concerned about corruption and the rise of criminality in our country, which manifests itself in the killing of innocent people, gender-based violence, gang violence, kidnappings, construction mafia criminality and many others.”
ALSO READ: Mchunu denies ties to Cat Matlala, as tenderpreneur bust with cellphone in prison
Commission of inquiry
Ramaphosa added that Madlanga will be assisted by Advocate Sesi Baloyi and Advocate Sandile Khumalo in establishing the commission.
The president said it will investigate:
- facilitation of organised crime;
- suppression or manipulation of investigations;
- inducement into criminal actions by law enforcement leadership;
- commission of any other criminal offences and intimidation,
- victimisation or targeted removal of whistleblowers or officials resisting criminal influence.
It will also look into the role of current or former law enforcement officials who may have aided criminal activity, failed to act on credible intelligence or internal warnings, or benefited financially or politically from a syndicate’s operations.
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