Tension between top police brass has received attention from different sectors of society.
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has requested that the Public Protector (PP) investigate allegations of political interference within the South African Police Service (Saps).
This comes after the KZN police commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of being linked to criminal gangs and disbanding a unit in the police tasked to deal with politically motivated killings.
Mchunu has denied these allegations and committed to subjecting himself to an investigation.
The ATM has written a letter to the PP’s office.
“This letter serves as a formal and urgent request for the Office of the Public Protector to initiate a full-scale investigation into what appears to be one of the most flagrant episodes of executive misconduct, political interference, and abuse of power in the history of democratic South Africa,” said ATM parliamentary leader, Vuyo Zungula in the letter.
Mkhwanazi has evidence?
Zungula said his party believes that the allegations of corruption inside the police service are not speculative.
“They are backed by digital communication records, WhatsApp messages, voice recordings, financial documentation, intercepted data, and operational reports.
“They form a factual matrix that speaks to a systematic effort by the minister to derail active investigations, protect criminal syndicates, and subvert the criminal justice system for political and private gain,” he said.
Status of the Political killings Task Team
The party said the PP must also investigate the reasons for the disbanding of the task team responsible for investigating political killings.
“This decision was made without consultation with the national or provincial commissioners and with no documented internal review.
“The commissioner has since confirmed that 121 case dockets, many linked to politically sensitive investigations, were removed and have remained dormant at Saps Head Office.”
He said the dismantling of the Political Killings Task Team has already resulted in severe consequences for the integrity of policing and justice in the country.
“Since the minister’s directive, 121 dockets have been shelved, and cases implicating politically connected individuals have been obstructed.
“These actions not only undermine justice for victims but embolden criminal syndicates and signal that political connections offer protection from prosecution,” he said.
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Magaqa’s hitman sentenced
These developments also come as the police are investigating the involvement of politicians in the murder of the ANC Youth League’s former secretary-general, Sondiso Magaqa, in 2017.
One of the men behind Magaqa’s death confessed to being part of the hit at the Pietermaritzburg High Court.
He was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for Magaqa’s murder. He is also serving time for other crimes.
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