Deputy Police Minister Cassel Mathale has revealed that suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has not delegated any responsibilities to him or his fellow deputy, Polly Boshielo, more than a year after their appointments.
Mathale made the disclosure on Tuesday while testifying before Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating allegations of corruption in the criminal justice system.
Mchunu and his two deputies were appointed to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet in June 2024. Mathale explained that the lack of delegated duties was because Mchunu was still familiarising himself with the operations of the ministry before his suspension.
“We don’t have delegated powers signed off to say this is what you do, but we had work to do,” Mathale said.
He clarified that despite not having formal assignments, they were not idle. “We were not just sitting in the office. I have a programme that outlines what I have to do. It appears we don’t have anything to do, but we do, because the department we are dealing with is vast, and you need to have your pulse on what’s happening. We have to ensure the ministry is functional.”
Members of Parliament expressed concerns about the relevance of deputy ministers without delegated responsibilities. ANC MP Xola Nqola questioned what their daily activities entailed, asking, “You wake up, go to the office and do what?”
Mathale defended the importance of deputy ministers, saying their roles were crucial to the smooth running of the ministry. “It doesn’t mean that if delegation hasn’t been done, then the department can function without them. There is relevance to their creation. SAPS is not like other ministries; it’s a huge department that is complex in how it’s structured.”
He added that the suspended minister was now ready to delegate duties.
Mchunu, who joined the National Assembly in 2019 as Minister of Public Service and Administration and later served as Minister of Water and Sanitation, was appointed Police Minister in June 2024. He was suspended in July 2025 following allegations of corruption and interference in police operations. Firoz Cachalia was appointed as acting Police Minister.
In his earlier testimony before the committee, Mchunu said he had made efforts to understand his role thoroughly. “I made it my duty, after I was appointed, that beyond interacting with police officials, I would go out of my way to understand other things, from documents and interacting with other people,” he said.
