The ANC has been criticised for closing ranks at the cost of the country’s national security.
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu could become a minister without a portfolio.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said President Cyril Ramaphosa will ultimately decide what to do with Mchunu.
However, he said Ramaphosa still has to appoint an interim police minister.
He said once that is done, the process of formally appointing Firoz Cachalia as the acting police minister will then take place.
Cachalia is expected to begin his work as acting police minister in August. He is not a member of parliament.
“The president will equally address, within his powers and his executive, what then happens to the questions you have asked in terms of whether he will have a minister without portfolio or what will happen,” he said.
Is Mchunu an honourable MP?
There are concerns from several political parties that Mchunu could still use his powers as minister to influence the outcomes of the judicial inquiry into his conduct.
Despite this, Mbalula said Mchunu will remain a member of parliament deployed by the ANC.
“Ministers are members of parliament, so he is not suspended as a member of parliament. He is a member of parliament, comrade Senzo, so he belongs to parliament.
“He will attend parliament and all the duties that are expected of him to perform as a member of parliament,” he said.
ANC leaders to meet Mchunu
Mbalula said he had noted false reports that Mchunu had engaged the ANC’s integrity commission.
“We have not been in a position to meet, we have been in mourning for some time. And we had to go to Mpumalanga and yesterday (Monday) we had a meeting where we discussed a whole lot of important issues,” he said.
Mbalula said the ANC will meet Mchunu at an “appropriate” time.
“We, however, must understand that the ANC does not replace the constitutional processes that are set in motion.
“So, the question of meeting him and engaging in organisational processes, including the integrity commission, all of those will ensue,” he said.
Mbalula denies knowledge of Mchunu’s letter to Ramaphosa
Mbalula said he has no knowledge of a request that Mchunu allegedly made to Ramaphosa requesting to be placed on special leave. There were reports that suggested this before Ramaphosa’s address on Sunday.
“From our side at Luthuli House, we do not have a correspondence from comrade Senzo that says that he requested to be placed on special leave,” he said.
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Should Mchunu resign?
Mbalula refused to comment on whether Mchunu should resign or not.
“Whether he resigns, what will be the consequence of that? We will be dealing with that as it happens at the present moment, it is just an analysis of what could be better,” he said.
Mbalula confirmed that the ANC’s National Working Committee had met on Monday to discuss a number of issues, including problems in the government of national unity (GNU) and the upcoming local government elections.
He said the party will hold an NEC meeting where all these issues will be discussed.
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