‘He went there to do wrong things,’ Malema says telling Ramaphosa to fire Mchunu

“Fire Police Minister Senzo Mchunu with immediate effect.”

That’s the message Economic Freedom Fighters' (EFF) leader Julius Malema is sending to President Cyril Ramaphosa following damning claims of interference and criminal links by KwaZulu-Natal police boss Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

“Well, the president should fire Mchunu immediately. Mchunu came with baggage, he is not old in the job, he’s very new, but already tainted,” Malema said.

“This is a man who went to that institution (referring to the police ministry) to go and do wrong things,” he told the media on Saturday morning in Mpumalanga, Barberton, at the funeral service of former deputy president David Mabuza.

Malema commented on the matter, which has been making headlines for days.

“If you want our people to have confidence in the police again, you have to fire the executive authority and then put an order. If they are generals that have misbehaved, the National Police Commissioner (Fannie Masemola) should act on those generals and then we will start dealing with crime,” Malema said.

“The role of the police is to deal with crime and not to connive with criminals.”

At a media briefing last Sunday, Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of interfering in police work and protecting criminal networks. 

He claimed Mchunu shut down the Political Killings Task Team in March 2025 and withdrew 121 active dockets, many linked to political assassinations. These cases have since stalled.

Mkhwanazi presented SA Police Service (SAPS) documents, WhatsApp chats, and cellphone data as evidence of a coordinated effort to dismantle the unit. 

He also accused Brown Mogotsi, a ‘comrade’ of Mchunu, of communicating with suspects, including Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala - a businessman awarded a R360 million police contract in 2024.

According to Mkhwanazi, Mogotsi told Matlala the unit was disbanded and that SAPS crime detection head Shadrack Sibiya had taken control of the files. 

Financial links allegedly tied Mchunu, Mogotsi, and Matlala to political events and a gala dinner.

“This was no accident,” Mkhwanazi said. “It was a calculated move to shield a criminal syndicate embedded in law enforcement and politics.”

Since its establishment in 2018, the task team handled 612 cases and secured over 100 convictions. 

Mkhwanazi said pressure to disband it intensified after its experts linked weapons to high-profile killings, including cases involving musicians. 

Shortly after, Mchunu allegedly ordered the unit disbanded and froze intelligence appointments. 

In a December 2024 letter to National Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Fannie Masemola, Mchunu stated the unit, created following the Moerane Commission report, had outlived its usefulness. 

However, Masemola later denied authorising the unit's closure.

Meanwhile, the Black Business Council (BBC) has also weighed in on explosive allegations made by Mkhwanazi against Mchunu, urging him to file formal complaints and open criminal cases where evidence exists.

In a statement, the BBC called the claims “disturbing and serious,” warning they could undermine public trust in law enforcement and the judiciary.

“We encourage Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi to lodge official complaints with the appropriate bodies and open cases where there is evidence of criminality,” the BBC said. 

“Failure to address these allegations will erode public confidence and the integrity of law enforcement.”

The council urged Ramaphosa to appoint a retired judge with full authority to hear evidence and, where appropriate, initiate prosecutions. It added that any implicated officials should be suspended to ensure the integrity of the process.

Applauding Mkhwanazi’s “boldness and courage,” the BBC encouraged other professionals to speak out against corruption and promote accountability, regardless of personal risk.

As pressure mounts, President Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation at 7pm on Sunday. 

[email protected]

IOL Politics