Senzo Mchunu's flip-flop: Minister now confirms knowing Brown Mogotsi after telling parliament he did not
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has backtracked on his earlier denial of knowing businessman Brown Mogotsi, now admitting — four months later — that he does, in fact, know him "just as a comrade."
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Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has backtracked on his earlier denial of knowing businessman Brown Mogotsi, now admitting — four months later — that he does, in fact, know him "just as a comrade."
This comes after Mchunu previously told Parliament he didn’t know Mogotsi at all.
Back in March, responding to questions in the Police Portfolio Committee, Mchunu insisted: “I don't know this person,” referring to Mogotsi. He claimed he was shown a photo of Mogotsi after reports that someone was falsely claiming to be close to him, but denied recognising the man.
Now, in a statement issued on Wednesday, Mchunu acknowledges that he has met Mogotsi but downplays the relationship, saying they are not associates and that he has never received anything from him.
The admission follows explosive allegations by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who claimed Mchunu and others in senior police leadership are linked to a criminal syndicate with ties to drug cartels and politically connected figures.
Mkhwanazi specifically accused Mchunu of lying about his relationship with Mogotsi and colluding to protect powerful individuals from prosecution.
Speaking to the Police Portfolio Committee earlier this year, Mchunu said: “I think I picked up something that Provincial Commissioner [Nhlanhla] Mkhwanazi is saying about some fellow. Two weeks ago, I got somebody insisting that somebody was going around saying he works with me wherever I am, he is there.
“I said, show me the face. And it got to a point where he showed me the face and I told him, I don't know this person.”
However, in his statement on Wednesday, Mchunu admitted knowing Mogotsi but denied that they are close.
“Whilst the Minister knows and has met Mogotsi, he is just a comrade and not an associate of the Minister. The Minister has never requested or received anything from him,” the statement read.
This comes after Mkhwanazi alleged that top law enforcement figures — including Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya — are entangled in a powerful syndicate backed by drug cartels and influential business interests.
The commissioner alleged that Mchunu colluded with Mogotsi and murder-accused Vusimuzi Matlala to shield politically connected individuals from justice.
A statement released by Mchunu's office said: “In response to the recent allegations made by Mkhwanazi, and while respecting the President's call for calm, the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu feels it is important to clarify the following: The Minister has never met Matlala, has never spoken to him, nor has the Minister ever requested or received anything from him.The Minister did, however, initiate a review of the SAPS tender awarded to him when suspicions of possible wrongdoing surfaced. It was the same tender that has since been terminated."
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