ANC faces backlash for using embattled Minister Senzo Mchunu in political work amid corruption claims
A political analyst has warned the ANC against using Senzo Mchunu in party political work until he is cleared of corruption allegations.
Image: Nokubongwa Phenyane
Political analyst Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast has cautioned the ANC for allowing embattled Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to continue to do party work while under investigation for serious corruption allegations.
On 6 July, KwaZulu-Natal Police provincial commissioner, Lieutenant- General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi dropped a bombshell, revealing that he had information which suggested that Mchunu was secretly working with underworld criminal syndicates in Gauteng.
Mkhwanazi further claimed that by disbanding the police’s political killings task team, Mchunu was shielding a murder suspect, businessman Vusumuzi ‘’Cat” Matlala from prosecution. Furthermore, the provincial commissioner claimed that there were invoices which suggested that Mchunu’s trip to the party’s 113th birthday bash in Cape Town was bankrolled by Matlala.
Mchunu has since denied these allegations, however, President Cyril Ramaphosa placed him on immediate special leave and appointed a Judicial Commission headed by now retired Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga to investigate the allegations.
Breakfast, a Nelson Mandela University-based analyst, was weighing on the continued use of Mchunu by the ANC in its renewal campaign in KwaZulu-Natal despite serious allegations against him. At the weekend, Mchunu accompanied by the provincial and regional task team including the provincial coordinator Mike Mabuyakhulu, delivered the keynote address at the unveiling of the party stalwart Nokuhamba Nyawo's tombstone in Ngwavuma in the north-east of the province.
However, the analyst said the party will take flak from the community who sees Mchunu as tainted until he is cleared by the Justice Madlanga Commission. He said that people will question the party’s seriousness in fighting corruption if it continues to use Mchunu in its political work.
“I think the party will have put him on hold and wait to see whether the Madlanga Commission clears him or not. Using him now under this cloud would look like the party does not take allegations against him seriously,” said Breakfast.
The party's provincial spokesperson Fanle Sibisi did not yet respond to questions sent to him, however, Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula had previously defended the decision not to place Mchunu on the step aside policy, arguing that the policy only applies to the members who have been criminally charged.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za