Published
2 months agoon
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zaghrahTensions in South Africa’s security cluster have erupted into full-blown political warfare. The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party is demanding the immediate arrest of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and his deputy, Lt. Gen. Shadrack Sibiya, following explosive allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt. Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
The MK party, which has been increasingly vocal in matters of police and state accountability, publicly praised Mkhwanazi for his “unwavering dedication to justice” after he accused Mchunu and Sibiya of interfering in a key task team investigating political killings in the province.
Mkhwanazi’s allegations are damning. He claims the task team probing political assassinations in KwaZulu-Natal, a team set up in 2018 to address a mounting death toll among politicians and whistleblowers, was disbanded without his knowledge or that of national police commissioner Gen. Fannie Masemola.
Even more shocking, Mkhwanazi alleges that the unit was shuttered just as it was closing in on a criminal syndicate with links to high-ranking police officers, prosecutors, and even Members of Parliament.
Instead of facing prosecution, the investigation’s dockets were reportedly archived in Pretoria by Sibiya, who Mkhwanazi boldly described as a “criminal”.
In a statement, MK party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said that General Mkhwanazi must file criminal charges within 24 hours, warning that any delay would suggest political protection and interference at the highest level.
“The evidence implicating Minister Mchunu is serious. Any further inaction will only confirm suspicions of institutional protection,” Ndhlela said.
The party also made it clear that this is not a request to President Cyril Ramaphosa, but a direct demand to law enforcement. They want the National Police Commissioner and Mkhwanazi to act decisively.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), led by Julius Malema, have also thrown their weight behind Mkhwanazi, adding momentum to calls for transparency and accountability in what’s becoming a national security crisis.
While Mchunu and Sibiya have yet to issue public responses to the allegations, insiders say pressure is building from all sides. Civil society groups, activists, and even rank-and-file police officers have begun voicing concern about what this scandal means for the credibility of the SAPS.
The disbanded political killings task team, launched in 2018, had been a key part of national efforts to stem a wave of targeted assassinations in KwaZulu-Natal, often tied to municipal politics and tender corruption.
It was one of the few multi-agency collaborations showing progress, until, according to Mkhwanazi, it was abruptly shut down. The big question now is: why?
South Africans on social media have responded with shock, anger, and cautious support for Mkhwanazi.
“If even the commissioner says top brass are obstructing justice, we are in trouble,” one user posted on X.
“The country needs more Mkhwanazis. He’s risking everything,” said another.
While some worry this could be a political chess game, especially with MK party’s involvement others see it as a rare act of bravery in a system many view as compromised.
For years, KZN has been a hotspot for political violence, with dozens of councillors, officials, and activists killed in cold blood. If the state’s own officials are complicit, it’s not just a police scandal, it’s a democratic emergency.
The MK party insists that accountability can’t be optional.
“The time for action is now. The safety of our citizens and the integrity of our democracy depend on it,” Ndhlela said.
The coming days may prove pivotal. Will Mkhwanazi follow through and lay charges? Will law enforcement act, or stall? And can South Africa trust that no one is above the law?
For now, the nation waits and watches.
{Source: IOL}
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