President Cyril Ramaphosa says suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu has become his “political burden to bear” and he is prepared to take the flak for not deciding his fate until the Madlanga commission finishes its work. Ramaphosa’s comments, through his spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, follow his decision not to subject Mchunu to an immediate probe afterarising from the findings of the Madlanga inquiry. “Indeed, there was a finding against the minister but not a recommendation.
In the end, minister Mchunu is the president’s political burden to bear,” Magwenya told the Sunday Times this week. “It’s his leadership character that has brought him a lot of criticism, and he accepts the criticism.” While Ramaphosa has been praised for referring 14 senior officials for further investigation after Madlanga’s interim findings, his apparent leniency towards Mchunu has drawn sharp criticism. Detractors argue the president isprotecting an ANC ally— whom some say was being groomed as a potential successor.
Ramaphosa has already faced criticism for sidelining rather than dismissing Mchunu after explosive claims by KwaZulu-Natal police commissionerLt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi— at a press conference in July last year of corruption in the top echelons of the police. Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of wrongfully disbanding the police’s Political Killings Task Team (PKTT). Mchunu himself told the commission hedisbanded the team, allegedly with the president’s approval.
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Evidence presented to the inquiry, however, suggests the unit was closed down to benefit criminal syndicates that had infiltrated the SAPS. At an appropriate time, the president will act on minister Mchunu. At that time, both politically and procedurally, the question of fairness …
will be a moot point. He is not under any legal obligation to act fairly — he can dismiss a minister at will — but the president wants to act fairly The reprieve granted to Mchunu may only be temporary. His fate will only be determined once the commission has concluded its work.
“What happens to the minister is for the president to decide,” Magwenya said. “The president will deal with the minister Mchunu matter at the end of the commission’s work, on the basis of the final report. He wants him to answer all allegations …
This is both a due process matter and an accountability exercise.” Ramaphosa’s move comes despite Madlanga having made a “finding” against the former minister. “The commission will continue with its sterling work in getting to the bottom of all the issues that need interrogating as they emanate from the allegations made by … Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi.” Magwenya declined to elaborate on the finding against Mchunu.
The commission’s preliminary report — handed to Ramaphosa in December — has not been made public, and only the final report will be released. Magwenya said while Ramaphosa has the prerogative to dismiss Mchunu at any time, he wants to act fairly towards him by allowing the minister space to respond to the allegations before the commission.
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