SAPS Corruption Scandal: Ramaphosa Under Pressure to Act in 2025

South Africa’s law enforcement leadership is being rattled by explosive allegations of corruption, political interference, and a long trail of unanswered crimes, and the public wants answers from the top.

President Cyril Ramaphosa is facing growing calls to act swiftly and decisively. At the centre of the controversy is forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan, who has penned a scathing letter demanding the removal of key police figures accused of misconduct, including Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and senior commissioners Fannie Masemola and Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

Political interference and disbanded justice

O’Sullivan’s letter follows claims from Commissioner Mkhwanazi that Minister Mchunu directly undermined police investigations into high-profile killings, including the assassinations of South African public figures.

According to Mkhwanazi, Mchunu ordered the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team in March 2025, an elite unit formed under Ramaphosa’s inter-ministerial committee in 2018. He also alleged that 121 murder dockets were withdrawn and shelved, despite five being ready for arrest warrants. The unit had been investigating politically linked assassinations across the country.

Worse still, Mchunu was accused of maintaining regular contact with known criminal syndicates. Names such as businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and his associate Mr. Brown Mogotsi have been thrown into the spotlight, allegedly for funding political operations linked to the minister.

Deepening the rot: Bribes, luxury cars, and dodgy deals

O’Sullivan’s accusations don’t stop at Mchunu. He also questions how Cedrice Nkabinde was appointed as Mchunu’s chief of staff, despite being implicated in past sworn statements related to bribery and interference with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID). Former IPID official Humbulani Khuba alleges Nkabinde accepted a bribe to protect ex-Commissioner Khomotso Phahlane, who himself was dismissed in 2020 for dishonest conduct and faces fraud and corruption charges.

Both Masemola and Mkhwanazi are now being linked to an older 2012 scandal involving R35 million in luxury vehicles allegedly purchased through SAPS crime intelligence slush funds. Mkhwanazi’s spokesperson denied any knowledge of such documents and called on O’Sullivan to provide proof.

Meanwhile, Masemola has also come under fire for not suspending officers currently facing charges for abusing SAPS intelligence budgets, including acquiring two Gauteng properties worth over R45 million combined.

Ramaphosa responds, but is it enough?

Faced with mounting pressure, President Ramaphosa announced plans to establish a judicial commission of inquiry into corruption within law enforcement. While Mchunu and Deputy Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya have been placed on leave, many South Africans remain sceptical, fearing this could be yet another delay tactic rather than a true reckoning.

O’Sullivan is also demanding answers about Masemola’s October 2023 trip to China, which was allegedly funded by Huawei and cost the SAPS over R1 million. The visit reportedly included a stay at a five-star hotel and has raised concerns about corporate influence within state security structures.

Public backlash grows

On social media, South Africans are venting frustration with hashtags like #CleanUpSAPS and #RamaphosaDoSomething trending on X (formerly Twitter). Many believe these revelations confirm long-held suspicions that justice is often delayed not by lack of evidence, but by those meant to enforce it.

“If Cyril doesn’t act now, he’ll lose the last bit of credibility he has left,” one user posted.

In a country battling record crime rates and political instability, the SAPS scandal feels like a breaking point. Whether Ramaphosa will take bold steps or let the matter fade into another slow-burning inquiry remains to be seen.

For now, the nation waits and watches.

Also read: EFF Holds Firm in Polokwane: Julius Malema’s Ward 13 Stays Red

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Source: IOL

Featured Image: Sunday Independent