Mchunu tells Mkhwanazi to provide evidence

2026-03-21 - 10:40

Suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu has demanded that KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi provide evidence to substantiate the corruption allegations against him. He also accused Mkhwanazi of changing his statements a few times since his bombshell press conference last year. “Mkhwanazi presents no proof whatsoever in support of any of these serious allegations presented at public platforms. Further, he introduces additional new allegations and changes his statements in different appearances,” he said. Mchunu’s statement comes after Mkhwanazi was this week the final witness to appear before parliament’s police ad hoc committee. Mchunu’s letter on disbandment of political killings task team Mkhwanazi this week focused on Mchunu’s letter that ordered the disbandment of the political killings task team (PKTT). “I believe Mchunu was captured to write that letter,” he said. While he owns it and typed it himself, the document contains an electronic signature placed there by a secretary before being distributed by chief of staff Cedrick Nkabinde.” He also said it was suspicious that the letter was sent to many official police email addresses and one private email address. Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi at the Parliamentary ad hoc committee inquiry into alleged corruption and political interference in the criminal justice system at Good Hope Chambers on 18 March 2026 in Cape Town. Picture: Gallo Images/Brenton Geach Mchunu said the private email address belongs to him. “I also want to take this opportunity to clarify a matter that has been mentioned on a number of occasions by different witnesses regarding a private email to which the chief of staff sent the letter of directives. I want to confirm that the private email is mine as I indicated before,” he said. Changing accusations Mchunu also said Mkhwanazi has often changed his accusations. He said that while he was initially labelled as corrupt, he was then accused of “failing to protect the organisation” and is now called an “enabler for criminality to thrive”. Letter from Cat Matlala’s cellmate Another major accusation by Mkhwanazi at the ad hoc committee this week was that a fellow prison inmate of Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala has written a letter containing many allegations, including that Matlala’s lawyer was involve din a conference call with Mchunu and former national director of public prosecutions (NDPP) Shamila Batohi. He said the purpose of the call was to convince Matlala to provide an affidavit stating he had no relationship with Mchunu. He added that Mkhwanazi said the letter stated that Matlala gave Mchunu R4 million to R5 million. “I state here that these allegations are untrue, unfounded and deliberately intended to tarnish my reputation. I reject these allegations totally. I would like to reiterate that I am not part of any criminal syndicate of any kind. I am part of those who are fighting against corruption in the country and my record in government speaks for itself,” said Mchunu. Ramaphosa denies approving PKTT disbandment Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa this week denied approving the disbandment of the PKTT, and said he was unhappy that he wasn’t consulted by Mchunu on the decision. The president said he also told Mchunu that only National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola could decide to disband the PKTT. “I conveyed my dissatisfaction at not having been consulted prior to this decision being taken. I further indicated that, in my view, this was a decision for the national commissioner to make,” he said.