Mkhwanazi Says Mchunu May Have Enabled Criminality Despite No Direct Links

Mkhwanazi Points To Indirect Role In Criminal Activity

A tense moment unfolded in Parliament this week as KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi returned to continue his testimony before an Ad Hoc Committee.

At the centre of his remarks was suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. While Mkhwanazi made it clear that Mchunu is not directly part of criminal syndicates or drug cartels, he raised serious concerns about the role the minister may have played behind the scenes.

According to Mkhwanazi, the issue is not direct involvement but what he described as indirect enabling of criminal activity.

Decisions That Raised Red Flags

Mkhwanazi told the committee that findings from the Political Killings Task Team suggest Mchunu was aware of certain individuals within the police who wanted the unit disbanded.

He argued that decisions taken by the minister appeared to favour those individuals.

When questioned, Mkhwanazi said the way Mchunu acted gave the impression that he was protecting certain people. He pointed to links involving individuals such as Shadrack Sibiya, suggesting that support extended in that direction could have had wider consequences.

In his view, assisting those connected to questionable structures may not amount to direct involvement, but it creates space for criminal activity to continue.

Questions Over Legality And Interference

The legality of Mchunu’s actions also came under scrutiny.

Mkhwanazi, speaking as a complainant, said he believed the directives issued by the minister were unlawful. He added that these decisions may have interfered with ongoing investigations in KwaZulu-Natal, potentially undermining justice processes.

He went further to suggest that such actions could be seen as defeating the ends of justice, a serious claim in a country already grappling with trust issues around law enforcement.

The Mystery Of Missing Data

Another point that caught attention during the session was the handling of electronic devices.

Mkhwanazi revealed that when investigators attempted to access Mchunu’s devices, they were not immediately made available. When they were eventually examined, certain information had been wiped.

Despite this, investigators were able to recover deleted data.

This raised a critical question from Mkhwanazi. Why would information be removed from state owned devices, especially during an investigation?

Conflicting Accounts Around Communication

The committee also heard conflicting versions regarding communication on the day key decisions were made.

Mchunu had reportedly claimed he consulted legal advisor Advocate Vusi Pikoli before issuing directives. However, Mkhwanazi said the evidence gathered did not support this.

Instead, communication records pointed to exchanges with the minister’s Chief of Staff.

This discrepancy has added another layer of complexity to an already sensitive matter.

A Case Of Influence Or Complicity

Despite the strong allegations, Mkhwanazi stopped short of directly accusing Mchunu of being part of criminal networks.

He suggested that the minister may have been influenced or even captured by individuals within the system. According to him, it is not uncommon for political leaders to be drawn into existing networks once they enter office.

Mkhwanazi noted that Mchunu was still relatively new to the role at the time, which may have made him more vulnerable to such influence.

A Broader Reflection On Power And Accountability

Beyond the specifics of this case, the testimony highlights a deeper concern within South Africa’s policing and political environment.

It speaks to how power can be shaped behind closed doors, and how decisions made at the top can ripple through the system, affecting investigations and public trust.

As the inquiry continues, many South Africans will be watching closely, hoping for clarity in a situation that touches on accountability, leadership and the fight against organised crime.

{Source:IOL}

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