Police deputy minister remains 'powerless' under Mchunu's leadership

POLICE Deputy Minister Cassel Mathale believes his suspended boss Senzo Mchunu’s lack of knowledge about the policing system contributed to him not being assigned delegated powers.

He disclosed this when he was testifying at the parliamentary inquiry probing the allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. The inquiry is probing the alleged unlawful disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), moratorium in filling vacancies in the Crime Intelligence Unit, the corrupt relationship between police leadership and members of the public, as well as political interference in the SAPS.

Mathale’s previous boss Bheki Cele had delegated him powers within four months of his appointment as his deputy in the sixth administration.

Mathale ascribed the non-assignment of the delegated powers to Mchunu being in the process of familiarising himself with the SAPS environment.

“We are almost at the tail end of this familiarisation process,” he said.

Mathale also noted that Mchunu came to the police after serving in the Water and Sanitation Ministry as well as the Public Service and Administration portfolio.

He said Mchunu did not have the exposure of the SAPS like Cele. 

“He had no understanding of the system. I think he knows what needs to be done in relation to the delegation of powers.”

Under Cele, Mathale was assigned the responsibility over the Civilian Secretariat, IPID, PSiRA, and DPCI.

“He was appointed in 2018 as a minister of police. When I came in 2019, he was familiar with the workings of the SAPS, and that is why it was easy to delegate responsibilities,” he said about Cele.

Earlier at the start of the public hearing, Ad Hoc Committee Chairperson Soviet Lekganyane declared knowing Mathale “very well” both in the ANC and the provincial administration in Limpopo.

“I am declaring it because it is not a secret. It’s a relationship I am proud of. He contributed a lot to my own political development. It is something South Africans in that part of the country know about,” Lekganyane said.

DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach also declared knowing Mathale.

During his testimony, Mathale described Mchunu as  a comrade of mine. Mchunu was ANC  KwaZulu-Natal secretary general while Mathale occupied the same position in Limpopo.

“We fairly know each other politically, so he is my comrade.”

When questioned about the briefings he had with Mchunu upon his arrival, Mathale stated that his handover report focused on matters concerning SAPS, the Civilian Secretariat, IPID, PSiRA, and DPCI.

“I said we are not a perfect organisation, but there are challenges.”

Cape Times