South African President Suspends Police Minister Amid Criminal Syndicate Allegations

South Africa's Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, center, visits an abandoned gold mine where miners are rescued from below ground, in Stilfontein, South Africa, Jan. 14, 2025

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and announced a judicial inquiry into explosive allegations that senior government and law enforcement officials have been colluding with criminal syndicates.

The decision, announced during a national address on Sunday, follows allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi that Mchunu and Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya interfered with sensitive investigations and obstructed efforts to combat politically motivated killings in the province.

Ramaphosa appointed Firoz Cachalia as the acting Minister of Police and confirmed that the investigation will be led by a judge. The inquiry will examine whether current or former senior officials in state institutions assisted or protected criminal operations, failed to act on credible intelligence, or benefited financially or politically from syndicate activities.

“The commission will investigate the role of current or former senior officials in certain institutions who may have aided or abetted the alleged criminal activity, failed to act on credible intelligence or internal warnings, or benefited financially or politically from a syndicate’s operations,” Ramaphosa said.

General Mkhwanazi, in a press briefing one week earlier, accused Mchunu and Sibiya of disbanding a specialized crime unit after its investigation revealed that drug cartels were responsible for a series of targeted killings in KwaZulu-Natal. He alleged that the unit uncovered direct links between organized crime and individuals across multiple sectors, including politicians, law enforcement, metro police, correctional services, prosecutors, and members of the judiciary.

Ramaphosa confirmed that the inquiry would extend to major state agencies such as the National Prosecuting Authority and the State Security Agency, signaling a wide-reaching probe into the country’s criminal justice system.

The announcement has drawn criticism from opposition parties, who argue the president's response is inadequate given the severity of the allegations. The MK Party, the official opposition, condemned Ramaphosa’s decision to place Mchunu on a leave of absence rather than removing him entirely.

“This was an opportunity to take South Africans into confidence and to deal with these issues decisively. Instead, he calls for a commission of inquiry and expects South Africans to be patient when people are dying on a daily basis,” said MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela.

The unfolding investigation has sparked a national outcry and renewed public pressure on the government to address widespread corruption, political violence, and organized criminal activity infiltrating state institutions.