‘I’ll take the flak on Senzo Mchunu’: Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa says suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu has become his “political burden to bear” and he is prepared to take the flak for not deciding his fate until the Madlanga commission finishes its work.

Ramaphosa’s comments, through his spokesperson Vincent Magwenya, follow his decision not to subject Mchunu to an immediate probe afterarising from the findings of the Madlanga inquiry.

“Indeed, there was a finding against the minister but not a recommendation. In the end, minister Mchunu is the president’s political burden to bear,” Magwenya told the Sunday Times this week. “It’s his leadership character that has brought him a lot of criticism, and he accepts the criticism.”

While Ramaphosa has been praised for referring 14 senior officials for further investigation after Madlanga’s interim findings, his apparent leniency towards Mchunu has drawn sharp criticism. Detractors argue the president is protecting an ANC ally — whom some say was being groomed as a potential successor.

Ramaphosa has already faced criticism for sidelining rather than dismissing Mchunu after explosive claims by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi — at a press conference in July last year of corruption in the top echelons of the police. Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of wrongfully disbanding the police’s Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).

Mchunu himself told the commission he disbanded the team, allegedly with the president’s approval. Evidence presented to the inquiry, however, suggests the unit was closed down to benefit criminal syndicates that had infiltrated the SAPS.

At an appropriate time, the president will act on minister Mchunu. At that time, both politically and procedurally, the question of fairness … will be a moot point. He is not under any legal obligation to act fairly — he can dismiss a minister at will — but the president wants to act fairly

—  Vincent Magwenya, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson

The reprieve granted to Mchunu may only be temporary. His fate will only be determined once the commission has concluded its work.

“What happens to the minister is for the president to decide,” Magwenya said. “The president will deal with the minister Mchunu matter at the end of the commission’s work, on the basis of the final report. He wants him to answer all allegations … This is both a due process matter and an accountability exercise.”

Ramaphosa’s move comes despite Madlanga having made a “finding” against the former minister. “The commission will continue with its sterling work in getting to the bottom of all the issues that need interrogating as they emanate from the allegations made by … Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi.”

Magwenya declined to elaborate on the finding against Mchunu. The commission’s preliminary report — handed to Ramaphosa in December — has not been made public, and only the final report will be released.

Magwenya said while Ramaphosa has the prerogative to dismiss Mchunu at any time, he wants to act fairly towards him by allowing the minister space to respond to the allegations before the commission.

“At an appropriate time, the president will act on minister Mchunu,” he said. “At that time, both politically and procedurally, the question of fairness … will be a moot point. He is not under any legal obligation to act fairly — he can dismiss a minister at will — but the president wants to act fairly.”

Magwenya said the commission’s work “will certainly lead to rooting out rotten apples in the police and in the rest of the criminal justice system”.

It will also help in informing the reforms that would follow. “In the immediate term, the commission’s work will assist with strengthening the operational capacity of law enforcement agencies.

“Therefore the scope of the commission in terms of the envisaged outcomes is much broader than one individual who no longer has any role to play in the sector or the SAPS.”

Ramaphosa caused shockwaves this week when he referred 14 senior SAPS officials, senior managers at the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) and Ekurhuleni metro municipality officials for criminal investigation on Madlanga’s recommendation — while taking no action against Mchunu despite damaging evidence against him.

Among those referred are senior police managers, including Hawks KwaZulu- Natal head Maj-Gen Lesetja Senona and Ekurhuleni metro police boss Julius Mkhwanazi, on prima facie evidence of wrongdoing.

Ahead of these referrals, Ramaphosa held meetings with interim police minister Firoz Cachalia. The meeting was “to discuss the setting up of a special task team [to be led] by Gen Fannie Masemola to follow through on the investigations recommended by the commission,” Magwenya said.

He declined to comment on Senona’s dramatic appearance before the commission this week, during which substantial evidence of alleged misconduct was led. However, he acknowledged the gravity of what was emerging from the hearings.

“Well, we can’t comment on individual appearances, except to say what we have witnessed in the course of the commission hearings has been quite disturbing and, worryingly, has eroded public confidence in law enforcement,” Magwenya said.

It’s already costing him politically, but he was willing to take that knock initially because [Mchunu] was his political ally. In any case, Madlanga will submit most probably by June, in which case he can just get rid of him

—  Prof Mcebisi Ndletyana, political analyst

“It is for this reason that the president has directed swift action in following up the recommendations of the interim report. It is important that we use the work of the commission to increase confidence in law enforcement.”

Political analyst Prof Mcebisi Ndletyana said the president’s characterisation of the Mchunu matter was an acknowledgment that his earlier caution had reached its limits.

The revelations emerging from the Madlanga commission made Ramaphosa realise Mchunu had become a serious “political liability”.

“It’s already costing him politically, but he was willing to take that knock initially because [Mchunu] was his political ally,” Ndletyana said. “In any case, Madlanga will submit [the final report] most probably by June, in which case he can just get rid of him.”

Ndletyana said the Presidency was not wrong to describe Mchunu as the president’s political burden. “That’s true, because people are asking, ‘Why are you keeping this guy around?” he said. The president was also grappling with who would become his point man now in KwaZulu-Natal.

“Even though he is a political burden, you need to handle this situation carefully. You don’t want to turn him into an enemy — and that will happen if you throw him to the wolves,” Ndletyana said.

For that reason, a gradual easing out would be the better option. “Even if he stays out of ANC politics, he must still be able to help him [Ramaphosa] somewhat on the fringes.”