
DA reveals Mchunu is now under criminal investigation
The DA says it has received confirmation from the South African Police Service (Saps) that former Minister Senzo Mchunu is now under investigation.
Last week, the DA laid criminal charges against Mchunu for lying to Parliament about his proximity to Brown Mogotsi.
Criminal complaint
The DA criminal complaint asked the police to investigate fraud and the breach of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament Act by Mchunu.
DA Deputy Chief Whip Baxolile 'Bax' Nodada said a probe has been launched against Mchunu.
'A senior Lieutenant Colonel has been assigned as investigating officer in the criminal matter against Mchunu, marking the seriousness with which the Saps is treating the case of their former Minister'.
This is a developing story
ALSO READ: WATCH: Cachalia issues warning to criminals
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

IOL News
3 hours ago
- IOL News
SAPS intensifies probe into alleged Basotho Military Camps in South Africa
National commissioner of police, Lt-General Sehlahle Fannie Masemol says SAPS and Lesotho police are working together to investigate allegations of illegal camps, assuring South Africans that national safety and security remain the top priority. Image: Picture: Siyabulela Duda/GCIS The South African Police Service (SAPS) is intensifying efforts to dismantle organised crime operations and address recent allegations made by Lesotho's Police Commissioner, Advocate Borotho Matsoso, regarding possible illegal camps in South Africa. In a scheduled Board of Commissioners (BOC) meeting, SAPS National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola said he met with all nine provincial commissioners to assess and strengthen crime combating strategies nationwide. The BOC, the SAPS' highest decision-making structure, includes Provincial Commissioners, Divisional Commissioners, and the Acting National Head of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks. IOL previously reported that Lesotho authorities claim they have credible intelligence that Basotho nationals are being trained militarily on South African farms as part of a growing land reclamation campaign. The land in question includes areas of Free State, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal. The group allegedly involved, calling itself Malata Naha ('land reclaimers'), has reportedly recruited individuals of various ages, including some South African citizens. Matsoso told Newzroom Afrika that the programme has the potential to destabilise the region: 'We have discovered that [Basotho nationals] have been recruited to join this military training in some of the farms in South Africa… This is what we have come across,' he said. During the meeting, Masemola expressed satisfaction with recent progress, stating that organised crime syndicates are being "dismantled, dislodged, displaced and arrested." A preliminary report from SAPS Crime Intelligence was tabled, addressing the cross-border crime concerns raised by Advocate Matsoso. Intelligence structures have reportedly 'heightened their operations to investigate allegations made and where necessary, track down and take down such illegal activities,' said SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe in a statement. The DPCI's Crimes Against the State (CATS) unit has been deployed to investigate these allegations. According to the SAPS, 'Various searches have been undertaken by CATS at various identified farms and no such evidence has been found to date.' Mathe said Masemola has reached out to the Lesotho Police Chief, where the two commissioners discussed the allegations made by Advocate Matsoso. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading ''Both commissioners agreed that both law enforcement agencies intelligence structures are on the ground to investigate the existence of such camps,'' she said. 'General Fannie Masemola assures all people living in South Africa that the safety and security of the people of SA is of paramount importance and anyone who is found to be in the country committing illegal acts will face the full might of the law,'' said Mathe. She added: 'To this effect, intelligence structures and operatives are on the ground to establish facts.' The situation stems from a long-standing territorial dispute. Lesotho MP and leader of the Basotho Covenant Movement, Dr Tshepo Lipholo, has been at the forefront of the push to reclaim areas from South Africa. He was recently arrested in Lesotho and charged with sedition and incitement after allegedly calling for armed struggle and declaring himself the 'paramount chief of Basotholand'. Audio clips reportedly circulating on social media support these claims. Although Lipholo travelled to the United Nations earlier this year to submit a land claim, Lesotho's Ministry of Foreign Affairs distanced itself from the trip, clarifying that it was not sanctioned by the Maseru government. Lesotho's Prime Minister Samuel Matekane has since confirmed the state's concern, stating the campaign threatens peace and national stability. Citizens have been urged to remain calm. 'South Africans are urged not to panic or worry as police from both countries remain on high alert,' Mathe said. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. IOL News

IOL News
4 hours ago
- IOL News
Economic Freedom Fighters: Celebrating twelve years of radical transformation in South Africa
Thousands of supporters filled the dome, which holds 10,000 people, demonstrating the massive turnout for the EFF's 12th anniversary celebrations. Image: Mandilakhe Tshwete Twelve years ago, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) burst onto South Africa's political landscape with a promise to transform the country's economic and social order. Founded by Julius Malema and his comrades on July 26, 2013, the party emerged from a deep frustration with the slow pace of change since democracy and the persistence of poverty, inequality, and racial divisions. Their rallying cry was clear: radical economic transformation, land expropriation without compensation, nationalisation of mines and banks, and the eradication of poverty. Economic Freedom Fighters founder and president Julius Malema gives his speech at the 12th anniversary in Khayelitsha. Image: Mandilakhe Tshwete Speaking at the EFF's 12th anniversary celebrations, Malema painted a vivid picture of how those founding principles remain as urgent today as ever. He reminded the crowd of Khayelitsha's history, founded in 1983 under apartheid as a relocation site for Black people forcibly removed from Cape Town. Despite decades of democracy, Khayelitsha still bears the scars of spatial apartheid: poor infrastructure, inadequate housing, unreliable water, and limited public transport. For many residents, these conditions have become normalised. Malema did not hold back in his criticism of the Democratic Alliance (DA), the party governing the Western Cape. He accused the DA of being a party that protects white privilege and sustains inequality by neglecting townships like Khayelitsha. While affluent suburbs such as Constantia and Clifton enjoy well-maintained roads and services, places like Gugulethu and Nyanga continue to suffer from neglect, overcrowded clinics, and dangerous streets plagued by gang violence. He added that the DA's failure to extend services such as the MyCiTi bus into these areas was described as deliberate exclusion. 'Spatial apartheid continues under their watch,' Malema said, framing the DA's governance as a continuation of apartheid-era divisions. He argued that the DA prioritises the comfort of the elite over the dignity and well-being of the poor majority. The party, he claimed, has no genuine interest in addressing poverty or unemployment, problems that affect over 43% of South Africans and hit the youth hardest. Malema also spoke about the broader economic challenges facing the country, saying that while other nations on the continent experience growth, South Africa's economy is stagnating. He criticised the control that white-owned banks and financial institutions hold over the economy, dictating who can access loans and property, and keeping wealth concentrated in the hands of a few. "At the same time, key state-owned enterprises are being weakened by defunding and attempts to privatise through outsourcing or fragmenting services." He pointed to the gradual dismantling of institutions like Eskom and Transnet, warning that the consequences are dire for the country's development and job creation. The looming debt crisis, with government spending over R420 billion this year just on interest payments, was described as a ticking time bomb that threatens social services such as education, health, and policing. To counter this, the EFF plans to push for laws requiring parliamentary approval of loans from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. The party rejects neoliberal economic policies imposed by these institutions, arguing instead for a state-led developmental model focused on industrialisation and wealth redistribution. The EFF's rise from a small, radical movement into a force that commands respect across South Africa's political spectrum is no accident. Malema stressed that the party has remained true to its revolutionary principles, refusing to become co-opted by establishment politics or elite interests. The EFF's activism spans beyond Parliament, engaging directly with communities through land occupations, supporting workers' rights, and fighting gender-based violence. However, the party's growing influence has unsettled the political establishment. Malema recounted how even international figures have taken notice, including a visit to the White House where former US President Donald Trump played EFF songs 'Kill the boer' as a warning, which he repeatedly sang after concluding his speech. He criticised both the ANC and DA for forming uneasy coalitions motivated by fear of the EFF's growing power. In a pointed attack, Malema said the ANC has become riddled with corruption and tenderpreneurship, while the DA serves to protect white monopoly capital. Yet, both parties are united in their efforts to block the EFF from gaining control in any government. On crime and policing, the EFF expressed support for Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who raised allegations of corruption and criminal syndicates operating within law enforcement. The party insisted on a parliamentary committee to investigate these claims, emphasising the need to clean up police and justice institutions. Looking to the future, the EFF is preparing for the 2026 local government elections with ambitions to govern outright in many municipalities. Malema urged party structures to strengthen grassroots organisation, win wards decisively, and deliver services that the DA has failed to provide. Ending poverty, combatting crime, and ensuring dignity for all remain the movement's key objectives.


The Citizen
4 hours ago
- The Citizen
Police arrest 183 rape suspects in one week
Out of the 183 suspects arrested, 67 were wanted individuals who were tracked down in different parts of the country. The South African Police Service (Saps) has arrested 183 suspects for rape in one week across the country, while a serial rapist in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) was sentenced to 10 life terms and 70 years in prison. Police spokesperson, Amanda van Wyk, said this is one of the operations that are aimed at intensifying the police's efforts in the fight against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF). Out of the 183 suspects arrested, 67 were wanted individuals who were tracked down in different parts of the country. Rape related convictions made Van Wyk added that the notable convictions made during the week include the sentencing of 24-year-old Simon Makgoba, who was sentenced to one life term in prison on 15 July 2025. The Mankweng Regional Court in Limpopo found him guilty of rape and kidnapping a 19-year-old woman, and gave him an additional 15 years in prison. ALSO READ: 201 rape suspects arrested nationwide in the past 10 days Another man in Limpopo was sentenced for rape on 17 July 2025 by the Mahwelereng Regional Court. Kabelo Prince Monethe, 33, was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping of a 68-year-old woman from Mapela Ga-Chaba. KZN man on multiple counts of rape On 23 July 2025, the Nquthu Regional Court in KZN sentenced Mandlelisa Mabhale, 58, to 10 life terms and an additional 70 years in prison after he was found guilty on multiple counts of rape, sexual assault, and exposing children to pornography. Van Wyk added that the victims, who are all minors, informed investigators that the pastor lured them to his rented room at the Ndidini area, where he made them watch pornographic material, then raped them. 90-day blitz programme 'Tackling the alarming rise in gender-based violence and femicide demands a united, urgent response. To this end, the Government has launched a 90-day blitz programme, with Saps playing an active and central role,' said Van Wyk. The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit is responsible for the investigation of GBVF-related cases, sexual offences, and sexual crimes committed through electronic mediums. 'Week after week, FCS investigators' hard work, dedication, and meticulous investigations ensure that sexual predators are put behind bars with lengthy sentences.' NOW READ: Limpopo crime: Father allegedly murdered by sons, pastor arrested for rape