A senior police official in South Africa has accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of obstructing investigations into organised crime and shielding politically connected suspects, sparking a national outcry and calls for an urgent inquiry.
The explosive allegations were made by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who claimed the minister interfered with a homicide task force and received payments from a suspect under corruption investigation.
Speaking in Durban while flanked by masked, armed guards, Mkhwanazi announced that a formal criminal probe had been launched. He alleged that Minister Mchunu, along with unnamed senior officials, had actively undermined police efforts to tackle organised crime in the province.
“This interference has damaged the operational independence of law enforcement,” Mkhwanazi said, warning that political meddling had allowed criminal networks to thrive with impunity.
The allegations forced President Cyril Ramaphosa, currently attending a BRICS summit in Brazil, to issue a public statement. He urged calm while promising full transparency and action upon his return, calling the matter “a serious national security concern.”
Minister Mchunu strongly denied the accusations, dismissing them as “unfounded insinuations without evidence or due process.” He nonetheless welcomed an investigation, saying he would cooperate fully to clear his name.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) and opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) have both demanded swift action and accountability. Several opposition leaders called for an emergency parliamentary debate and warned the scandal underscores dangerous fractures within South Africa’s policing and political institutions.
South Africa continues to struggle with high levels of violent crime and endemic corruption, with criminal syndicates increasingly entangled in politics. Analysts say the unfolding crisis could further erode public trust in state institutions.