SIBONGAKONKE SHOBA | Will scandal propel Mchunu to new political heights?

On Valentine’s Day, while many were exchanging gifts with their partners, a group gathered at the Mbombela Civic Centre in Mpumalanga to pray for suspended police ministerSenzo Mchunu. Although Mchunu himself was absent, his spokesperson confirmed that he was aware of the event. Soon after, another prayer service was held at his home in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, where church leaders laid hands on the embattled politician.

And if that wasn’t enough, yet another prayer session followed at the Greyville racecourse in Durban, where attendees donned white T-shirts emblazoned with Mchunu’s smiling face. I’m no political sangoma, but I know a campaign when I see one. We’ve seen this script before.

Recall what happened when a former deputy president was forced out after his financial adviser was convicted of corruption. He too was showered with prayers and incense, paraded through church services, and made appearances at every funeral of a “comrade”. Soon came memorial lectures and cadre assemblies.

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It would not be surprising if Mchunu is following the same playbook. After all, he was ANC provincial secretary in KwaZulu-Natal when the province propelledJacob Zumato the presidency. Like Zuma, Mchunu now finds himself against the ropes.

President Cyril Ramaphosa recently distanced himself from a decision Mchunu communicated on New Year’s Eve of 2024. Responding to questions from parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations by KZN police commissioner Lt-GenNhlanhla Mkhwanazi, Ramaphosa said he had not been consulted before Mchunu issued a letter disbanding the political killings task team. This directly contradicts Mchunu’s testimony to both parliament and the Madlanga commission of inquiry, where he claimed Ramaphosa had endorsed the decision.

“The answer in the affidavit is that I briefed the president, and he agreed with the briefing I gave him,” Mchunu told MPs. Ramaphosa, however, insists this is untrue and revealed that he opposed the disbandment. This revelation is a major blow for Mchunu.

Until the president disowned the decision, there was little evidence linking Mchunu to wrongdoing. None of the testimony presented so far directly connects him to suspected cartel members. Some witnesses have tried to draw links between Mchunu’s chief of staff, Cedrick Nkabinde, and Brown Mogotsi, who had dealings with alleged cartel figure Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala.

The narrative goes that Mchunu disbanded the task team to halt investigations into the cartel, including cases involving Matlala. In return, Matlala would back Mchunu’s presidential ambitions using funds siphoned from police tenders.

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