Police Minister Senzo Mchunu appeared before the parliament ad hoc committee investigating allegations of corruption in the criminal justice system, declaring that he has been “wearing and smelling Gen Mkhwanazi” since July 6, the day the allegations were made public.
The committee was formed after KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of interfering in police investigations and having ties to corrupt businessmen. Mkhwanazi had claimed Mchunu issued a directive to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), which was probing politically motivated murders in the province.
Following the accusations, President Cyril Ramaphosa placed Mchunu on leave.
“I’m wearing Gen Mkhwanazi, I’m smelling Gen Mkhwanazi, and this is the first opportunity that I’m getting to explain myself,” Mchunu told the committee on Thursday. “I’m pleading with you to give me an opportunity to do that, considering that he [Mkhwanazi] has gone to the commission for quite a long time, piling the accusations on me.”
Mchunu is the fourth witness to testify before the committee, following Mkhwanazi, national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola, and deputy national police commissioner for crime detection Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya.
Both Mkhwanazi and Masemola have also appeared before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, where they expressed concern over the minister’s directive to dissolve the task team.
The parliamentary hearing continues.
