ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula. (X)
ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula says Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who is on special leave, will still perform his duties as a member of parliament and will not be removed from the party’s national executive (NEC) and national working committees.
“Comrade Senzo is a member of parliament, he belongs to parliament. He will attend parliament and will perform all the duties that are expected of him to perform as a member of parliament,” Mbalulat told a media briefing on Tuesday at the party’s Luthuli House headquarters.
His remarks came after President Cyril Ramaphosa suspended Mchunu on Sunday following corruption allegations against him by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Mbalula said the ANC national working committee meeting, which took place on Monday, discussed the Mchunu matter.
“He didn’t attend and he said [it was] because of a leave of absence. I will explain to him that the leave of absence does not apply to the ANC and his politics,” Mbalula said.
He added that the party supported Ramaphosa’s decision to suspend Mchunu from his cabinet post while an investigation was under way. The president has appointed the acting deputy chief justice, Mbuyiseli Madlanga, to chair the inquiry, with advocates Sesi Baloyi and Sandile Khumalo assisting.
Ramaphosa has appointed former MP and respected legal academic Firoz Cachalia as acting police minister while the inquiry proceeds.
Earlier this month, Mkhwanazi told a briefing in Durban that Mchunu had interfered with sensitive investigations and protected business person Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. He also alleged that Mchunu had links with Matlala’s associate, Brown Mogotsi, and that these ties influenced policing decisions in the province.
The KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner said they had uncovered a syndicate involving politicians, metro police, correctional services, prosecutors, members of the judiciary and business people working with a drug cartel.
On Tuesday, Mbalula said the ANC welcomed the inquiry as a legal and institutional process to deal with the allegations.
“This is not a moment for complacency,” he said. “If left unaddressed, these allegations threaten to erode public trust in institutions meant to uphold the law.”
Mbalula dismissed reports that the ANC’s integrity commission had made findings against Mchunu. “There has been no interaction between Comrade Senzo and the integrity commission. When it happens, it will follow proper procedure,” he said.
He warned against spreading misinformation online and accused some of using the matter for political gain.
Mbalula said Ramaphosa had shown consistency in upholding the law. “The fight against crime and corruption will not be waged through expediency or grandstanding, but through lawful and transparent processes.”
He cited the Zondo state capture commission and the Nugent commission on the South African Revenue Service as examples of how inquiries can lead to reform.
“These commissions exposed wrongdoing and informed legislative and structural reforms,” said Mbalula.
Critics have, however, pointed out that no successful prosecutions have resulted from the work of the Zondo commission.
Mbalula said the ANC continues to support the president’s use of commissions where systemic failure or political interference has paralysed existing institutions.
He added that the party had postponed its NEC meeting, which had been scheduled for this coming weekend, because preparatory reports were incomplete.
“The NEC was initially meant to focus on the national budget impasse, but its agenda has since expanded to include discussions on the government of national unity, the alliance with the South African Communist Party [SACP], the state of the organisation, and preparations for the national general council,” he said.
A new date has not been confirmed, but the meeting is expected to sit for four to five days.
The NEC will also consider the SACP’s announcement that it may contest the 2026 elections independently.
He said alliance consultations are nearly complete and that the ANC hopes to convene the alliance political council before the NEC meets.