Ramaphosa’s Move to Sideline Mchunu Branded an ‘Illusion of Reform’

SA reels as police minister placed on special leave, not fired, over explosive allegations

In a country where public trust in the government is wearing thinner by the day, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to place Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on “special leave” has stirred up more frustration than faith. While the president may have hoped the move would ease public concern, many see it as another masterclass in political deflection.

On Sunday evening, Ramaphosa broke his silence after a week of intense pressure and speculation. Standing firm in his trademark calm, he announced that Mchunu would be stepping aside while a judicial commission investigates claims that strike at the core of South Africa’s justice system, allegations of interference in investigations and ties to a drug cartel operating in Gauteng.

But instead of applause, his announcement was met with a chorus of criticism.

Critics say it’s all smoke and mirrors

“An illusion of reform.” That’s how DA leader John Steenhuisen described the president’s handling of the situation. His words echoed the fatigue of many South Africans who’ve seen commissions come and go, with very few consequences for those implicated.

“This is not accountability,” Steenhuisen said. “It’s outsourcing responsibility once again, while the rot festers in plain sight.”

And he didn’t stop there. He called out other Cabinet members, like Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe and Communications Minister Mondli Gungubele, still in their posts despite clouds of controversy. “Performative accountability,” he warned, “has become the ANC’s preferred governance style.”

EFF accuses Ramaphosa of protecting the corrupt

The red berets weren’t any more forgiving. The EFF lashed out, calling the special leave a “cowardly deflection” meant to protect a minister accused of being complicit in organised crime. They also questioned the legality of appointing law professor Firoz Cachalia, who is not a sitting Cabinet member, as acting police minister.

While Section 98 of the Constitution seems to limit such appointments, legal experts have pointed out a loophole: two ministers may be appointed from outside Parliament, a fact the EFF conveniently ignored in its outrage.

South Africans tired of commissions with no bite

It’s not just opposition parties. Across the political spectrum, Ramaphosa’s approach is wearing thin. GOOD’s Brett Herron spoke for many when he warned that yet another commission is simply “too slow, too cumbersome, and too costly.”

South Africans haven’t forgotten the Zondo Commission, four years, R1 billion, and while it exposed damning levels of corruption, the follow-through has been underwhelming.

“Commissions should not be a substitute for prosecutions,” Herron said, tapping into a wider frustration. “The evidence is there. Act on it.”

Walking the tightrope, again

To be fair, Ramaphosa is balancing more than just public outrage. He’s also trying to hold together a fragile Government of National Unity, stitched together after a bruising election. Firing Mchunu, a senior ANC figure could spark internal backlash at a time when stability is already hard to come by.

But that tightrope walk is beginning to look more like a standstill.

Mchunu, 67, has had a long and storied political career, but the latest allegations may define his legacy. KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s testimony, alleging that Mchunu meddled in investigations and facilitated police cover-ups for a cartel, left little room for doubt.

Now, with Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga tapped to lead the inquiry, supported by top advocates Sesi Baloyi and Sandile Khumalo, the ball is in the judiciary’s court. But will the findings actually lead to prosecutions? Or will this be yet another expensive performance in South Africa’s theatre of accountability?

Public sentiment: deeply cynical

On social media, the reaction was swift and bitter.

“Special leave is what you give someone who’s burnt out, not someone accused of shielding a drug syndicate,” one user wrote on X.

“Ramaphosa is the CEO of Commissions R Us,” said another.

The memes have already begun. A viral TikTok mocked the announcement with the soundtrack of a courtroom drama, except, in this show, justice never arrives.

The bigger picture: a justice system on trial

At its core, this scandal isn’t just about Mchunu. It’s about whether South Africa still believes its leaders are serious about cleaning house. It’s about police credibility, national security, and a president who, more often than not, chooses the cautious route over decisive action.

In a country where organised crime is surging, especially in urban hubs like Johannesburg and Durban, the public can’t afford more commissions that lead nowhere. What’s needed is swift accountability, not smoke, not mirrors, and definitely not more leave of absence letters.

Until then, reform remains a word too often spoken, and too rarely acted upon.

Ramaphosa Suspends Mchunu, Launches Inquiry into Policing Crisis

{Source: The Citizen}

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