By Zukile Majova
- KwaZulu-Natal police boss Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of shielding politicians behind killings and frustrating crime probes.
- Mchunu is Ramaphosa’s most senior ally in KZN, and firing him could weaken the president in his most hostile province.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is under pressure to fire one of his closest allies after explosive claims that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu is working with criminals.
In a bombshell press conference on Sunday, KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of protecting politicians involved in political killings. He said the minister was blocking investigations and holding secret talks with drug cartels.
Mkhwanazi, a respected officer who worked his way up through the ranks, said Mchunu was a major obstacle in the fight against crime.
His claims sparked public outrage and demands for Ramaphosa to take action. But firing Mchunu could spark a political crisis within the African National Congress.
Mchunu, also known as Macingwana, is one of Ramaphosa’s last key allies in KwaZulu-Natal — the province where the president is weakest. Losing him could open the door for rivals to launch a campaign to remove Ramaphosa as ANC leader.
The stakes are high. In the recent elections, the ANC’s support in KwaZulu-Natal collapsed from over 50% to just 17%. Most of that support went to former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto Wesizwe party, which now holds nearly half the seats in the province.
Ramaphosa came to power by defeating Zuma’s faction in 2017. He later forced Zuma out of office and sent him to jail for contempt of court.
Now Zuma and his allies are plotting a comeback, and Ramaphosa cannot afford to lose any more ground in the province.
That makes it risky to sack Mchunu — even though the allegations against him are shocking.
Instead, Ramaphosa may try to buy time by setting up a commission of inquiry into the police. Another option would be to shift Mchunu to a different ministry, like he did when he moved Thembi Simelane from Justice to Human Settlements after she was linked to the VBS bank scandal.
Some in the ANC, including secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, appear to be siding with Mchunu. Mbalula accused Mkhwanazi of breaking protocol and making South Africa look like a “banana republic”.
Mkhwanazi is not an ANC deployee and has no political backers. But many South Africans see him as a hero who has tackled gangsters, hitmen and political killers across KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
If Ramaphosa suspends him instead of the minister, it could trigger a national backlash. The timing is also sensitive — this month marks three years since the deadly July Riots, which left over 300 people dead and cost the country R50-billion.
Ramaphosa must now choose: protect a loyal ally and risk public fury, or act against Mchunu and gamble with his own political future.
Pictured above:President Cyril Ramaphosa and Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
Image source: GCIS
