Police Versus Gangs: Top South Africa Minister Accused of Criminal Ties

South Africa’s Police Minister Senzo Mchunu is facing serious accusations from KwaZulu-Natal’s top police official, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who has alleged that the minister has connections with criminal gangs and has interfered in sensitive police investigations, particularly those concerning political assassinations.

Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday, July 6, 2025,  Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi claimed that Minister Mchunu had received financial backing from a businessman with alleged ties to criminal activity, in support of the minister’s political aspirations.

These accusations have sparked national outrage and concern.

They prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to label the matter a “grave national security concern” and assure the public that it is receiving “the highest priority attention.”

Mchunu has strongly denied the allegations, dismissing them as “wild and unfounded,” but the controversy is escalating.

At the core of Mkhwanazi’s revelations is the controversial disbandment of a specialized task force formed in 2018 to investigate politically motivated killings in KwaZulu-Natal.

KwaZulu-Natal is a province long plagued by violent political rivalries.

According to Mkhwanazi, the task team had made significant progress and was uncovering links between political figures, police officers, businesspeople, and a drug trafficking syndicate.

He alleged that the team’s success in exposing high-level corruption and organized crime made it a target.

Earlier this year, Mchunu ordered the unit’s closure, claiming it was no longer contributing meaningfully to law enforcement efforts in the province.

However, Mkhwanazi argues this decision was orchestrated to halt investigations that were closing in on influential figures.

In a stunning disclosure, Mkhwanazi revealed that 121 case dockets were taken from the unit and transferred to national police headquarters in Pretoria, allegedly on the direct orders of Minister Mchunu.

He claimed this action was taken without the consent of the National Police Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola.

“Those dockets have been sitting idle at head office since March, with no investigative progress.

Five of them already had arrest warrants prepared,” said Mkhwanazi.

The provincial commissioner further alleged that Minister Mchunu had received personal and political support from controversial businessman Vusimuzi Matlala.

Matlala, who previously held a valuable police contract, was arrested for attempted murder in May.

Mkhwanazi provided reporters with what he described as evidence, copies of text messages and records of financial transactions—purportedly linking Matlala to Mchunu’s political activities.

As the scandal unfolds, General Masemola has announced that he will respond to the allegations later this week when he appoints a temporary head of the country’s crime intelligence division.

That role became vacant after Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo, the former intelligence chief, was arrested last month on charges of fraud and corruption.

Khumalo and six others are reportedly under investigation for the misuse of police intelligence funds and illegal appointments within the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Their arrests have further deepened the crisis within the country’s law enforcement structures.

While the allegations remain unproven at this stage, the public disclosure by Mkhwanazi has shaken confidence in the integrity of police leadership at both provincial and national levels.

Analysts suggest that if verified, the claims could have far-reaching consequences for Mchunu, including potential criminal charges and dismissal from office.

President Ramaphosa’s statement promising swift action indicates the seriousness with which the presidency is treating the matter.

However, critics argue that systemic corruption within SAPS and the political sphere will make genuine accountability difficult.

Civil society groups and opposition parties have already begun demanding an independent inquiry into the allegations.

They argue that internal police investigations will lack transparency and impartiality.

As the investigation unfolds and political pressure mounts, the country is watching closely to see whether the state will act decisively in rooting out corruption and restoring public trust in law enforcement institutions.

For now, the nation remains on edge, as allegations of deep-seated collusion between politicians, law enforcement, and criminal networks continue to cast a long shadow over South Africa’s justice system.

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