South Africa Police Minister Suspended Over Organised Crime Allegations 

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on an immediate leave of absence after allegations of links to organised crimes were made against him. 

In Sunday’s live televised speech to the nation, Ramaphosa also announced a judicial commission would probe the claims, which he said undermined the constitution and threatened national security.

He added that law professor Firoz Cachalia had been appointed as interim police minister.

Mchunu denied any wrongdoing, saying in a statement that he stood ready to respond to the accusations against him.

In his speech, the president said that the allegations against Mchunu, which include interference in investigations into political killings and corruption within law enforcement agencies, call for an urgent and comprehensive investigation.

He claimed Mchunu was receiving financial support from an allegedly corrupt businessman to fund his political endeavours.

Gen Mkhwanazi also detailed a sequence of events he claimed led to the orchestrated disbandment of a task force that was set up in 2018 to investigate the killing of politicians, mainly in KwaZulu-Natal.

He said the team’s investigations had uncovered links to high-profile individuals, including politicians, Police officials, and businesspeople tied to a drug cartel syndicate – and this is why the team was disbanded.

When he dissolved the unit earlier this year, Mchunu said it was not adding value in the province, despite many cases remaining unsolved.

According to Gen Mkhwanazi, a total of 121 case files were allegedly removed from the unit on the minister’s instruction and without the authorisation of his boss, the national Police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola.

He also alleged Mchunu had ties to a controversial businessman who was “financially supporting” the minister’s political career.