Mchunu told to go on leave as Ramaphosa orders a probe into alleged criminal syndicate infiltration

By Johnathan Paoli

In a dramatic late-night address from the Union Buildings on Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry into explosive allegations of criminal syndicates infiltrating South Africa’s law enforcement, intelligence and criminal justice institutions.

This comes in response to serious claims made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi during a media briefing earlier this month.

Mkhwanazi alleged that a sophisticated syndicate had infiltrated law enforcement and intelligence structures in South Africa. He also claimed that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who has now been placed on a leave of absence, interfered with sensitive police investigations and colluded with businesspeople, including a murder accused, to disband the Political Killings Task Team based in KwaZulu-Natal. 

Mkhwanazi also said that a police investigation by the task team in Gauteng unmasked a syndicate controlled by a drug cartel, which involved politicians, law enforcement officials from