President Ramaphosa gazettes Judicial Commission of Inquiry following Mkhwanazi's explosive allegations

President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially gazetted the Judicial Commission of Inquiry aimed at untangling deeply rooted issues of criminality, political interference, and corruption.

The establishment of this commission follows alarming allegations of misconduct within law enforcement brought to light by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

The inquiry, chaired by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, will delve into the specific allegations and review the current state of affairs within the criminal justice system. The commission’s terms of reference are robust, directing a comprehensive examination of all relevant evidence, including prima facie indicators pointing to the involvement of individuals working within law enforcement and intelligence. 

As part of its mandate, the commission is expected to assess whether certain officials should face immediate suspension pending further investigations.

Meanwhile, the Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) has filed a no-confidence motion against Ramaphosa regarding his choice to retain Police Minister Senzo Mchunu rather than dismissing him. Instead, Mchunu has been placed on leave while a judicial commission of inquiry is set up.

As a result, the party has taken its case to the Constitutional Court to contest President Ramaphosa's decision to put Mchunu on special leave, as well as the subsequent appointment of Professor Firoz Cachalia as the acting Police Minister.

Speaking during a media briefing on Tuesday in Cape Town, MK Party Chief Whip Colleen Makhubele announced the no-confidence motion and criticised Ramaphosa for showing “cowardice” by not dismissing Mchunu outright.

“The MK Party,e are mobilising the grassroots. We have filed papers with the Constitutional Court. We have now put a motion of no confidence on the president for his failures - chief among them, his failure to fire Mchunu and protect the most vulnerable in our society,” Makhubele said.

Makhubele also criticised Ramaphosa’s decision to dismiss former Higher Education Minister Nobuhle Nkabane earlier this week, calling it politically expedient and selective. "She was just an easy, soft target - a sacrificial lamb at the GNU altar,” Makhubele said.

“All things equal and fair, Minister Mchunu should have been fired in the same breath. This is clear cowardice at a decisive moment by the president.”

The party is requesting an urgent Parliament session to convene within the next two weeks to discuss and vote on the motion.

sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za

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