From Wimbledon into Cabinet: How Cachalia ignored Ramaphosa's calls while watching tennis

Professor Firoz Cachalia said he could hear his mobile phone ringing, but he ignored the incessant incoming calls as he was glued to the television, watching the Wimbledon final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz on Sunday.

IOL this week reported that in a surprise move, President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed the academic as acting minister of police, after a bruising week of intense scrutiny following the bombshell allegations by KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

Ramaphosa placed embattled Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, on leave of absence and initiated a commission of inquiry to investigate Mkhwanazi's allegations.

On Tuesday, Cachalia relived the time he finally answered the phone call by the Presidency, and Ramaphosa informed him about the epic appointment into Cabinet.

"It was Sunday. I was relaxing, watching sport, the Wimbledon, and I was looking forward to the football. I have a loft upstairs where the phone was being charged and it has a very slight ring tone. I heard the ringtone from time to time but I ignored the call because I was charging the phone. It turns out that the Presidency had been trying to get hold of me for much of the day," Cachalia spoke to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika.

"Eventually, they got hold of my brother, Justice Cachalia, he called, but I was ignoring the phone actually. I am not gonna be able to do that anymore. Then they got hold of my wife, and my wife happened to be sitting with me in the lounge, watching the tennis with me. From then on, we were able to understand that the president was trying to get hold of me. 

"I believe at around 6 or 6:30 (pm) he got hold of me and explained to me that he was going to appoint me in this portfolio. I had to explain to him that in fact I am currently the director of the Mandela Institute at Wits in the law school, and that I was retiring in the institute at the end of this month, which is why he had to make the appointment effective from August," he said.

The 66-year-old said once Ramaphosa informed him of the appointment, there was no hint of hesitation on taking up the new challenge.

"It was a surprise of course, I didn't expect something like this. I have been an academic for, I think, 15 years or so, after serving about 15 years in the Gauteng government. Before that, from a very young age, I gave my all really to the priority which was always political change in the country.

"To be appointed in this portfolio is a great honour for me. I am very appreciative that the president has expressed some confidence in my ability. I do feel humbled, slightly daunted, but I am going to tackle the challenge with all my energy.

Who is Firoz Cachalia

But who is Cachalia, the incoming Acting Police Minister?

Cachalia, is a former anti-apartheid activist, lawyer, academic and long-time public servant. He is currently a professor at the Wits School of Law and chairs the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council, a body tasked with helping the state prevent the kind of systemic graft exposed during the Zondo Commission.

Born in Benoni in 1958, Cachalia was active in anti-apartheid student politics in the late 1970s and 1980s.

He was repeatedly detained and banned by the apartheid state and later joined the United Democratic Front. He represented the Transvaal Indian Congress during the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Codesa) and contributed to early drafts of the country’s constitutional principles.

He holds multiple qualifications from Wits University, including a BA, LLB and a Higher Diploma in Company Law, and earned an LLM with distinction from the University of Michigan.

Cachalia joined the Gauteng Provincial Legislature in 1994 as a member of the ANC and served in various leadership roles, including Speaker of the legislature from 1999 to 2004. After the 2004 national elections, then-premier Mbhazima Shilowa appointed him MEC for Community Safety.

He served as MEC for Community Safety until 2009, during a period of major crime-fighting reforms in Gauteng, and briefly held the Economic Development portfolio before leaving government in 2010.

jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za

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