Public Protector Probes Senzo Mchunu: Corruption, Collusion, and the Collapse of Justice

The cracks in South Africa’s policing system have turned into chasms and at the centre of it all stands Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.

The country’s top cop is now officially under investigation by the Office of the Public Protector, following a detailed complaint from the African Transformation Movement (ATM). The complaint accuses Mchunu of using his position not to fight crime, but to protect the very syndicates he’s meant to dismantle.

In a letter seen by IOL, the Public Protector confirmed that it will investigate multiple allegations against the minister, including whether he lied to Parliament, interfered with sensitive investigations, and facilitated questionable contracts within SAPS.

Political Murders Task Team: From National Asset to Collapsed Unit

At the centre of this saga is the now-dismantled KwaZulu-Natal political killings task team, once a jewel in the crown of SAPS. Known for cracking down on political assassinations and securing over 100 convictions, the unit has allegedly been gutted under Mchunu’s leadership.

KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi dropped a political bombshell last week, accusing Mchunu and others in the SAPS leadership of being aligned with a criminal network involving drug cartels and corrupt business interests.

The political killings task team, he claimed, was disbanded or sabotaged to shield politically connected individuals from justice.

Public Protector’s To-Do List: What Will Be Investigated

In a letter signed by acting Chief Operations Officer Nelisiwe Nkabinde, the Public Protector’s office listed the following areas of investigation:

• Whether Minister Mchunu misled Parliament when he denied knowing businessman Brown Mogotsi during a committee session in March. He later admitted Mogotsi is “just a comrade.”

• Whether he had any role in disbanding the political killings task team within SAPS.

• Whether Mchunu interfered with investigations, particularly those involving politically sensitive cases.

• Whether there was a conflict of interest in awarding a R360 million SAPS contract to Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, a businessman currently facing murder charges.

• Whether his overall conduct violated the Executive Ethics Code under the Executive Members’ Ethics Act of 1998.

Because of the volume and seriousness of the allegations, the investigation won’t be completed within the usual 30-day window, the Public Protector’s office said.

Mchunu’s Wobbling Credibility

Perhaps most damaging to Mchunu’s public standing is his flip-flop over his ties to Mogotsi. In March 2025, he categorically denied knowing the businessman during a tense parliamentary grilling. Now, four months later, he acknowledges the relationship, but frames it as merely political acquaintance.

The timing, critics say, is suspicious. So is the silence that followed Mkhwanazi’s dramatic revelations. Calls for clarity have grown louder, and not just from opposition benches.

Mounting Pressure from Across the Political Spectrum

The DA, EFF, and uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) parties have filed criminal complaints against Mchunu, accusing him of misleading Parliament and being complicit in the alleged capture of SAPS by criminal interests.

Vuyo Zungula of the ATM, whose complaint sparked the Public Protector’s probe, told reporters: “This isn’t just about Mchunu. It’s about whether South Africa still has an independent police service or one held hostage by politics and profit.”

A Presidential Response Looms

With the heat mounting, President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address the nation in a rare “family meeting” on Sunday at 7pm. Many expect him to break his silence on the growing scandal, which now threatens to engulf not just Mchunu, but the legitimacy of the entire law enforcement structure.

Sources within the Presidency say the address will likely focus on restoring public trust in SAPS and confirming whether Cabinet will take action against Mchunu if wrongdoing is confirmed.

Public Reaction: Trust Eroding Fast

Online, the scandal has sparked outrage. Hashtags like #MchunuMustGo, #CapturedSAPS, and #PoliticalKillingsCoverUp are trending on South African Twitter. “If a minister can lie to Parliament and get away with it, what chance do ordinary South Africans have?” one user wrote.

Civil society groups, including Corruption Watch and the Helen Suzman Foundation, have urged Parliament to fast-track reforms to ensure political interference doesn’t derail criminal investigations again.

Will Accountability Prevail?

The irony isn’t lost on many South Africans: just last week, Minister Gwede Mantashe warned his fellow ministers to stick to their salaries and avoid the temptation of corrupt enrichment, invoking Mchunu’s name as a cautionary tale.

Now, as the Public Protector digs deep and the president prepares to speak, all eyes are on whether South Africa’s institutions can rise to the challenge. Because at stake isn’t just one minister’s career, it’s the public’s faith in justice itself.