Calls for Cyril Ramaphosa to dismiss police leadership over corruption claims

President Cyril Ramaphosa has been called to clean the South African Police Service (SAPS) and appoint new ethical leaders.

This is according to the letter written by forensic expert, Paul O’Sullivan, who said Ramaphosa should fire Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.

He also wants police commissioners Fannie Masemola and Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to be suspended. 

This comes after Mkhwanazi implicated senior SAPS officials in corruption, claiming police have failed to act on evidence tying firearms to high-profile killings, including those of prominent South African artists. 

Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of sabotaging critical crime-fighting efforts for ordering the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team—a unit established in 2018 under President Cyril Ramaphosa’s inter-ministerial committee (IMC) to tackle politically motivated murders. He alleged that Mchunu, in collaboration with Deputy Commissioner General Shadrack Sibiya, withdrew 121 case dockets from the team in March 2025, leaving them untouched at SAPS headquarters in Pretoria, despite five being ready for arrests. 

He also claimed that Mchunu was in constant communication with criminal syndicates, naming a businessman, Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, and an associate, Mr. Brown Mogotsi (also referred to as Mahodi or Maki in various statements), as key players funding Mchunu’s political activities.

Responding to allegations, Ramaphosa announced that he would set up a judicial commission of inquiry to look into corruption allegations within the top brass of the country’s law enforcement agencies, while Mchunu was placed on a leave of absence pending the investigation into the allegations.

Sibiya was also asked to take a leave of absence on Tuesday.

O’Sullivan also wants Ramaphosa to look into how Mchunu hired Cedrice Nkabinde as the chief of staff despite being implicated in the sworn statement of the former acting head of the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) in Limpopo, Humbulani Khuba, who claimed that Nkabinde was offered and accepted a bribe to help the former National Commissioner, Khomotso Phahlane, who was accused of corruption, “to get off the hook”.

He added that Khuba was also lured to a secret meeting with Mkhwanazi, in an attempt to recruit him to protect Phahlane.

However, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Mangwenya, did not respond.

Phahlane, who served as police national commissioner from October 2015 to June 2017, was accused of siphoning R54 million of public money to a 'business' associate, Inbanathan Kistiah. 

Phahlane was dismissed from the police after 3 years on suspension, after being found guilty of dishonest conduct in 2020.

Phahlane also faces a raft of corruption, fraud and money laundering related to a tender for Gauteng police to fit 1,550 vehicles with blue lights, sirens and radios, among other equipment.

In his sworn statement signed in July 2018, Khuba, who was assisting the National Task team probing Phahlane, claimed that Nkabinde gave false information in a sworn statement in an attempt to scupper the corruption case against Phahlane. 

He said Nkabinde accused him of “pre-arranging” the media during the search at Phahlane’s home. 

Khuba said Nkabinde also accused IPID of allowing O’Sullivan, his assistant Sarah Trend and AfriForum of spearheading the investigation and leaking information to the media. He added that Nkabinde said the division conducted an investigation through the media to tarnish the images of specific individuals.

Khuba also said Mkhwanazi approached him during a meeting in February 2018, and told him that he was in a possession of a 204 statement from Nkabinde. He said Mkhwanazi further told him that the head of the investigation, Mandlakayise Mahlangu, who confirmed that the SAPS approached him to implicate the IPID management, also wrote his statement and it was ready to be signed, but he (Mahlangu) was afraid of the executive director.

Khuba said this was also a way of soliciting information from him.

Nkabinde resigned in September 2018, following his withdrawal from the disciplinary hearing.

Responding to the allegations, Nkabinde said he followed all the recruitment processes in terms of the Ministerial Handbook, adding that all necessary screenings were conducted.

“If anyone has any evidence of any wrongdoing, they can go to the nearest police station and open the case, instead of tarnishing my name through the media without any substance. I don’t have any pending cases against me nor any previous convictions, so I don’t know what they are talking about, except that they are trying to tarnish my name using the media,” he said.

Asked if Mchunu would also respond to the allegations, spokesperson Kamogelo Mogotsi said allegations were certain to Nkabinde, and he has provided a response.

O’Sullivan also questioned the appointments of Masemola and Mkhwanazi, saying the two were also implicated in the unlawful purchase of luxury cars from the crime intelligence slush funds in 2012. The purchase of more than R35 million was allegedly authorised by Masemola, who was acting head of the division, and approved by Mkhwanazi.

He also accused Masemola of failing to suspend any of the five generals and two brigadiers who were arrested a few weeks ago, in relation to the ongoing investigation into alleged abuse of intelligence funds, which includes unlawful acquisition of two high-value properties valued at R22.7m and R22.8m, respectively. 

Mkhwanazi’s spokesperson, Robert Netshiunda, refused to respond to the questions and instead requested the documents.

“2012 is a long time ago, and Lt Gen Mkhwanazi would like to have proof of such a purchase. If you don't have one, perhaps you should ask Paul to provide you with one. Lt Gen Mkhwanazi is not aware and has not seen any sworn statement by the person mentioned in your enquiry. It would be appreciated if you could furnish us with the said sworn statement,” he said.

Masemola’s spokesperson, Athlenda Mathe, on the other hand, said the SAPS does not comment on operational matters within the crime intelligence space.

O’Sullivan added that Masemola should also explain the details of his visit to China in 2023, adding that he should provide the cost of the flights, hotel, and explain the purpose of the trip.

“In October 2023, Masemola was invited to China on a private visit by the telecommunications company, Huawei. He took a delegation of 10 or more, which cost SAPS a million rand for this private visit. He stayed in a 5-star hotel called Shangri-la in Pudong. Now, Huawei laptops have been rolled out to users in SAPS,” he said.

manyane.manyane@inl.co.za