‘A deflection to shield a corrupt minister': Opposition slams Ramaphosa over Mchunu's ‘special leave'

News24

6 hours ago

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MK Party and EFF condemn Ramaphosa's move, calling the appointment of Professor Firoz Cachalia as acting police minister unconstitutional and politically motivated.
Mchunu allegedly dismantled a key crime unit, leading to the collapse of more than 120 investigations tied to political assassinations and organised crime.
DA warns against another toothless commission, demanding swift consequences and accountability following revelations of a criminal syndicate within SAPS.
President Cyril Ramaphosa is facing a mounting backlash from opposition parties following his decision to place Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave and appoint law professor Firoz Cachalia as acting minister of police.
The move comes in response to explosive allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, a week ago regarding the existence of a criminal syndicate allegedly operating within the country's law enforcement and intelligence structures.
The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), the official opposition in the government of national unity (GNU), has strongly condemned the president's decision, describing it as 'grossly unconstitutional, politically dubious, financially burdensome and cowardly.'
The party has rejected the appointment of Cachalia, who is not a Member of Parliament or Cabinet, as an unlawful overreach by the president.
This appointment violates Section 98, read with Section 93 of the Constitution. It is clearly beyond the president's powers, a breach of the rule of law and therefore irrational.
MKP
Cachalia is a professor of law at Wits University and chairs the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council.
However, the MKP claims his appointment is a politically convenient move, alleging that he works closely with Corruption Watch, which they say is funded by the Oppenheimer family, known allies of Ramaphosa.
'It is clear Ramaphosa's friends will stop at nothing to protect their interests by meddling in state affairs that implicate their puppet, Cyril Ramaphosa,' the party said.
The MKP also accused the president of using Mchunu's 'special leave' as a political tactic to avoid action against a close ally, referencing Mchunu's move to classify and seal the controversial Phala Phala investigation report. The party labelled Ramaphosa 'a fugitive from justice' and accused him of lacking the will to confront corruption within his inner circle.
Meanwhile, the EFF said they were appalled by Ramaphosa's decision to grant Mchunu special leave rather than removing him from office entirely.
The party described the leave as 'a deflection designed to shield a corrupt minister whose involvement in organised crime has been exposed.'
Like the MKP, the EFF slammed the appointment of Cachalia, insisting it violated the Constitution. 'Section 98 allows the president to assign a minister's powers to another minister, not to someone outside of Cabinet,' the EFF argued.
The EFF further alleged that Mchunu played a key role in dismantling an elite SA Police Service investigative unit that had secured over 100 convictions and thousands of life sentences.
Mchunu is alleged to have instructed Crime Detection Deputy Commissioner Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya to shut down the unit, leading to the withdrawal of more than 120 dockets, many linked to political assassinations and organised crime.
It is also alleged that Mchunu was politically linked to accused criminal Vusumuzi 'Cat' Matlala, who allegedly financed his political campaigns. 'This is a blatant cover-up,' the party said.
The ANC is no longer a governing party, it's a mafia organisation shielding gangsters, redirecting tenders and silencing whistle-blowers.
EFF
On the contrary, DA leader John Steenhuisen said the special leave was a necessary step, but one that only came after sustained pressure.
He welcomed the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry but expressed scepticism over its potential effect.
South Africans have grown cynical of talk shops, task teams and commissions, which they see as buying time and avoiding accountability.
John Stenhuisen
'We will not accept a drawn-out process that delivers no consequences. The country cannot afford another elaborate filing cabinet of findings that gather dust.'
He vowed that the DA would hold the president accountable for every recommendation made by the commission and push for visible action in Parliament and Cabinet.
Meanwhile, the ANC has publicly supported Ramaphosa's actions. The party welcomed both the establishment of the commission and the decision to place Mchunu on leave. The ANC said it would provide further details during a media briefing by Secretary General Fikile Mbalula at Luthuli House on Tuesday.