A special committee in South Africa’s Parliament has deepened its investigation into serious allegations made by a top police official. The committee has called several high-profile figures to testify, including former Police Minister Bheki Cele and the current Minister, Senzo Mchunu.
The probe follows explosive claims from KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. In July, he alleged there was political interference and corruption within the police service.
Mkhwanazi’s key accusation is that Minister Mchunu and Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya deliberately shut down a special task team. This unit was investigating politically motivated murders in KwaZulu-Natal. He stated that this action protected politically connected individuals linked to criminal groups.
He further alleged that 121 case files were illegally taken from the unit, including five that were ready for arrests to be made.
The fallout from these claims has been significant. Both Minister Mchunu and Deputy Commissioner Sibiya have been placed on special leave while investigations are ongoing. The National Police Commissioner, Fannie Masemola, has denied that he authorized the closure of the task team.
The upcoming parliamentary hearings are expected to be highly charged. The outcome could have major implications for accountability and public trust in South Africa’s police institutions.