‘Same as Phala Phala’ – Police committee member not optimistic about Mchunu investigations

The portfolio committee on police and the portfolio committee on justice and constitutional development officially adopted their report, recommending to the National Assembly that an ad hoc committee be established to consider allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

The committees held a joint meeting on Tuesday, during which they agreed that an ad hoc Committee was the most effective parliamentary mechanism for fully investigating Mkhwanazi’s allegations.

The report further proposed that the National Assembly establish the committee within three months.

Mchunu allegations a ‘constitutional crisis’

“What makes this matter urgent is that the issue of the law will be heavily challenged,” said committee member and MK party MP David Mandla Skosana.

“Solomon Mahlangu was hanged because of the so-called law, and General Mkhwanazi went out and said he wants to see justice prevail, and society is waiting for us. If the legal opinion comes against us, we must have a Plan B, because we can’t sing the same song like in the 1940s, 1960s and 1970s.

ALSO READ: Senzo Mchunu investigation will take longer to finalise, says Public Protector

“We are the seventh administration. We must see this thing succeed, irrespective of all these other bureaucratic issues, which we will have to address in this matter.”

‘Public Protector investigation’

Skosana further expressed a lack of confidence in the investigation being conducted by the Office of the Public Protector.

Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka was special advisor to Mchunu when he was Minister of Public Service and Administration.

ALSO READ: Mchunu denies ties to Cat Matlala, as tenderpreneur bust with cellphone in prison

“The country is in crisis. For us to say the public protector will come up with something, I can tell you, it will be the same song as in Phala Phala and what we have seen in other matters, because people are closing ranks here,” said Skosana.

“It’s painful for some of us to say these things here, to say we know the end product is. We should go into this matter with our eyes wide open. We have already seen utterances in the media. The suspended minister has now said things, and the so-called appointed minister.

“We have a constitutional crisis in this country, and we must accept that it’s not going to be smooth sailing. I don’t have confidence in the so-called commission because at the end of the day, once there is politics at play here, there is no justice. What is going to happen at the end of the day is exactly what happened with the Phala Phala report.

WATCH: Mbalula warns of deepfake video falsely claiming he said Senzo Mchunu is guilty

“In this issue, we need justice, because if our law is not going to restore dignity and the public trust in the Saps [South African Police Service] and the judiciary, then we’re just buying time, and it’s just optics. We need to get to the bottom of this. There should not be anything between us and the truth.”

‘Code of ethics’

On Thursday, 10 July, the Public Protector confirmed its investigation into Mchunu, as requested by the African Transformation Movement (ATM).

“In line with section 3(1) of EMEA, which provides that the Public Protector must investigate any alleged breach of the code of ethics on receipt of a complaint contemplated in section 4, you are hereby advised that the Public Protector has initiated an investigation into the allegations you have raised,” the office said.

ALSO READ: Mchunu denies ties to Cat Matlala, as tenderpreneur bust with cellphone in prison

The party laid at least four complaints against Mchunu, including allegations of enabling interference by outside parties in Saps operations, irregularly disbanding the Political Killings Task Team, unduly delaying and derailing investigations and a conflict of interest in the awarding of a R360 million Saps contract to Matlala.

However, the Public Protector cautioned that the investigation into the matter would not be finalised within 30 days, “due to the number of issues raised in your complaint”.

“The Public Protector will therefore submit a report when the investigation has been finalised.

“We commit, in the circumstances, to make every effort to expedite the finalisation of the investigation and will accordingly continue to keep you apprised of the progress thereof.”

READ NEXT: Magashule says Mchunu should step aside, but ANC says there is no need for that