Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka probes Senzo Mchunu: Here's the focus of her investigation

Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka will investigate embattled Police Minister Senzo Mchunu after a complaint was launched by the African Transformation Movement (ATM), which described the police minister’s actions as a “flagrant episode of abuse of power”.

Earlier this week, IOL reported that in a letter backed by WhatsApp messages, audio recordings, and financial documents, the ATM alleged that Mchunu colluded with businessman Brown Mogotsi and murder-accused businessman Vusimuzi 'Cat' Matlala to derail critical investigations in the South African Police Service (SAPS), and shield politically connected individuals from justice.

At the heart of the scandal is the collapse of the elite KwaZulu-Natal political killings task team, a unit that had secured over 100 convictions and made breakthroughs linking firearms to a string of high-profile assassinations. 

The allegations that recently rocked the country were made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi on Sunday. 

Following ATM’s complaint, IOL has seen a letter from the Public Protector’s office, signed by Acting Chief Operations Officer, advocate Nelisiwe Nkabinde, confirming the probe sought by ATM Member of Parliament, Vuyo Zungula.

In his complaint, the parliamentarian had urged the Public Protector to investigate Mchunu’s conduct under the Executive Members Ethics Act (EMEA) of 1998. Zungula contended that Mchunu’s actions breached the Executive Ethics Code, citing the collapse of the effective political killings task team of the SAPS, and alleged ties to criminal elements alleged by Kwazulu-Natal provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, as evidence of misconduct.

In the Public Protector’s response, the Chapter 9 institution stipulated that it would probe the following allegations, including whether Mchunu lied about his relationship with Brown Mogotsi, denying knowledge of the North West politician in a March 2025 parliamentary committee session. This week, Mchunu turned around, describing Mogotsi as “just a comrade”.

The Public Protector will investigate whether Mchunu disbanded the political killings task team of the SAPS. Another allegation is whether Mchunu unduly delayed and derailed the investigation of cases “many of which are linked to politically sensitive investigations, with an intention to protect criminal syndicates.

The Public Protector will also probe whether there was a conflict of interest in the awarding of a R360 million SAPS contract to Matlala. 

However, the Public Protector’s office told Zungula that due to the several complaints raised by the parliamentarian, the extensive investigation will not be finalised within 30 days as prescribed by Section 3(2) of Executive Members Ethics Act (EMEA).

Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa has called a family meeting on Sunday to address allegations that Mchunu and senior police leadership are linked to a criminal syndicate with ties to drug cartels.

This comes as the DA, uMkhonto weSizwe party (MK), and the EFF on Thursday lodged criminal complaints against Mchunu, accusing him of misleading Parliament and being linked to individuals allegedly involved in the capture of the SAPS. 

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