Professor Seepe warns President Ramaphosa against reshuffling Police Minister Mchunu
President Cyril Ramaphosa has been against moving Police Minister Mchunu to another ministry.
Image: Supplied
The University of Zululand-based political analyst, Professor Sipho Seepe has warned President Cyril Ramaphosa of moving Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to another ministry because that would still give him influence and executive authority.
Seepe was weighing in on what action should the president announce against Mchunu as the raging public debate continues ahead of the president’s nation address on Sunday evening.
The president is scheduled to address the nation at 7pm where he is expected to inform the nation about action he is taking or has taken about the explosive revelations by KwaZulu-Natal provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi who alleged Minister Mchunu, politicians, the top brass in the police, prosecutors, and judges are in the pockets of crime syndicates.
“The allegations made by Lt General Mkhwanazi are very serious. They will require more than removing or putting on suspension of individuals involved. Nothing short of a commission of inquiry. The entire criminal justice system is on trial.
Reshuffling individuals is woefully inadequate as it would still place the impugned individuals in a position of influence and executive authority,” said Seepe.
Several reports suggest that the president, in trying to be politically correct, may move Mchunu to another portfolio to avoid another ANC electoral loss in KwaZulu-Natal as parties prepare to launch their campaigns for the next year’s local government elections.
There is a fear that if the president fires both Mchunu and Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, the Higher Education Minister who is also in trouble may result in a backlash for the party in the province. Nkabane is from Umzimkhulu in the south of the province.
Mchunu’s problems now appear to be compounded by his later admission that he knew Brown Mogotsi, whom he denied knowing when asked in Parliament.
Mogotsi, believed to be a businessman from North West has been described as Mchunu’s associate whom he allegedly used as a proxy in dealing with underworld syndicates.
Last week, Mkhwanazi revealed that Mogotsi has sent messages to suspects assuring them of Minister Mchunu’s protection from prosecution.
Mkhwanazi said last year, he received a request from Gauteng’s police organised crime unit for assistance in arresting drug cartel suspects who the unit had discovered were working with top politicians in Parliament.
He stated that the unit arrested a businessman, and police discovered text messages between the minister and the suspect.
He further stated that the minister’s associate also sent a message to the suspect informing him that he had arranged a meeting between the minister and the Deputy National Commissioner from Crime Prevention, Shadrack Sibiya, to find a solution.
Mchunu and Sibiya both dismissed the rumours as baseless.