Accusations of Corruption: South Africa's Police Minister Entangled in Criminal Allegations

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has denied allegations of corruption and connections to criminal gangs presented by KwaZulu-Natal police chief Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who claims Mchunu received support from a corrupt businessman and disbanded key investigation units.

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu is under fire for accusations of ties to criminal gangs and interference in investigations involving politically motivated killings. These serious claims were put forward by Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal police chief, during a press conference on Sunday. Mkhwanazi asserted that Mchunu had been allegedly financially backed by a businessman linked with corruption, which in turn aided his political ambitions.

In response to the “wild allegations," Mchunu has vehemently denied the claims. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa deemed the situation as one of "grave national security concern," emphasizing its need for urgent attention. Mkhwanazi elaborated on the purported disbandment of a task force that was initiated in 2018 to investigate the murders of politicians in the region, specifically highlighting how this unit's efforts appeared to threaten high-profile individuals linked to organized crime.

Mchunu justified the disbandment of the investigation team by stating they were not contributing effectively to the province, despite numerous unresolved cases. Allegations from Mkhwanazi indicate that 121 case files were removed from the task force under Mchunu's directives without the approval of the national police commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, leading to stalled investigations on critical cases, some of which already had arrest instructions.

Mkhwanazi also pointed out that Mchunu maintained a controversial relationship with businessman Vusimuzi Matlala, alleged to have been funding Mchunu's political campaign efforts. Matlala, previously awarded a lucrative police contract, had it terminated following his arrest for attempted murder in May. Text messages and payment records were presented by Mkhwanazi as proof of their connection.

The national police commissioner announced he would address these allegations later this week in conjunction with the appointment of a new crime intelligence chief. This controversy follows the prior arrest of Criminal Intelligence Chief Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo and several associates over fraud and corruption charges related to the South African Police Service (SAPS), deepening concerns about potential misuse of police intelligence resources.