uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party are livid with President Cyril Ramaphosa for not firing Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, following explosive allegations made by KZN police boss Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, while he dismissed DA Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield for an unapproved trip.

Speaking outside the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court on Friday, where controversial businessman Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala and three co-accused appeared in connection with a 2023 attempted murder case, MK Party Gauteng spokesperson Abel Tau voiced full support for Mkhwanazi.

Tau condemned what he called selective accountability by Ramaphosa. Two weeks ago, Ramaphosa has shown Whitfield, the door with immediate effect from his bloated Cabinet as deputy minister of Trade, Industry and Competition.

“So I want to say to Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi: “We are fully with him, and nothing will happen to him. They’ll have to go through us first.” 

Matlala is at the centre of a growing scandal that has engulfed the top leadership of the police service, with Mkhwanazi alleging political interference, corruption, and criminal syndicate links involving senior SAPS officials and Mchunu himself.

Tau criticised Ramaphosa for not acting swiftly in response to Mkhwanazi’s claims.

“We are disappointed in the President of South Africa. This is an issue of national security. We are hosting the G20 in November, and when law enforcement is alleged to have moles and criminals at the highest level, the head of state must act,” he said.

“He’s hoping South Africans calm down so he can smooth this over, but we have news for the president,” he said.

Mkhwanazi, in a July 6 media briefing, accused Mchunu of executive overreach and claimed he orchestrated the shutdown of a task team investigating organised crime. 

He also alleged that Matlala’s company was improperly awarded a R360 million tender, pointing to deeper systemic issues in law enforcement.

Tau argued that Mchunu should have been placed on special leave or fired pending an investigation.

“In any functioning democracy where the president takes his oath seriously, Minister Mchunu would have been placed on special leave, at the very least. Instead, Ramaphosa chose to fire a DA deputy minister for a travel infraction,” said Tau.

He also claimed that Mchunu’s continued position is linked to his role in covering up the Phala Phala scandal for Ramaphosa.

“It cannot be that South Africa is used for you-scratch-my-back, I scratch-yours – in a criminal way,” Tau said.

The MK Party announced plans to deliver a memorandum to Gauteng Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni on Monday and to picket outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria next Friday.

“We want to make sure justice is served. The problems are not just in KwaZulu-Natal…they are here, too,” Tau said.

Tau said the party welcomed the announcement by Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka that her office would investigate the allegations.

“Chapter 9 institutions don’t need to wait for formal complaints. When there are allegations threatening national security, they must act. We welcome the investigation and urge that it not take forever,” Tau said.

Meanwhile, Ramaphosa has called a national address, widely referred to as a “family meeting” on  Sunday, July 13, at 7pm, to respond to the mounting claims of criminal syndicate links within senior police leadership and politically connected figures.

According to the Presidency, Ramaphosa has spent the past week in consultations with stakeholders and security officials.

In a statement, the Presidency said the president will “take the nation into his confidence” during the televised address.

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

IOL Politics 

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