Scandal-hit Senzo Mchunu still eyes ANC presidency despite criminal allegations

Suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu, whose ambition for the ANC presidency was revealed by his counterpart Bheki Cele this week at the parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee, could still vy for the top position. 

This was despite the scandal surrounding Mchunu, who has been accused by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi of associating himself with criminal syndicates.

Mkhwanazi was referring to Mchunu's alleged relationships with Brown Mogotsi and Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, who are subjects of criminal investigations.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has since forced Mchunu into special leave pending the outcome of the Ad Hoc Committee and the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, probing the circumstances surrounding the disbandment of the police’s Political Killing Task Team (PKTT).

Testifying at the Ad Hoc Committee, Cele revealed a damning proximity between Mchunu and Matlala, which involved discussing presidential ambition. 

Cele said on Wednesday that when he met Matlala for the first time at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Durban during December last year, Matlala revealed his plan to fund Mchunu’s campaign to become president or deputy president.

Whoever will be elected ANC president or deputy in 2027 would emerge as state president or deputy president if the ANC wins the 2029 general elections. 

Cele said Matlala had requested to meet him to discuss his harassment by the police, who had raided his house on December 6. This was three weeks after Matlala had received a R360 million contract from SAPS.

He stated that this occurred after Matlala and Mogotsi had met with Mchunu. 

“He (Matlala) said he had money on the tender to fund his (Mchunu) project of becoming either the president or the deputy president.

“Cat told me that he told Mchunu that ‘we will work together as long as you do not come closer to Zuma and Cele’. 

“I don’t know why he mixes me up with Zuma,” said Cele. 

Mchunu’s communication team has repeatedly denied that he spoke or met Matlala, “nor has the minister ever requested or received anything from him.”

“The minister did, however, initiate a review of the SAPS tender awarded to him when suspicions of possible wrongdoing surfaced. 

“It was the same tender that has since been terminated,” read a statement.

Mchunu’s spokesperson, Kamogelo Mogotsi, said she had no knowledge of Mchunu wanting to be the president. 

Mchunu did not respond to the questions sent to him via WhatsApp, and he also did not answer his phone.

Five regions in KwaZulu-Natal want Mchunu to succeed Ramaphosa, according to a senior ANC leader from Harry Gwala Region.

He said those regions were “Nokuhamba Nyawo (Jozini), Musa Dladla (Empangeni), Okhahlamba (Bergville), KwaDukuza (Stanger), and a few branches in Moses Mabhida(Pietermaritzburg).”

However, KwaZulu-Natal ANC spokesperson Fanle Sibisi said since the ANC had not yet opened the internal succession debate, branches have not deliberated. 

 “We have nothing to say or do about anything that has been said in the Ad Hoc Committee,” said Sibisi. 

ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said she, too, was unaware of Mchunu’s ambition. 

Mchunu’s political ambitions emerged in 2017 when he contested the secretary-general position, which Ace Magashule won at the Nasrec conference. 

The Harry Gwala Region leader said Ramaphosa's backers support Mchunu to become president because they believe he was trusted to protect Ramaphosa from being prosecuted over his Phala Phala scandal.

“The agreement was that in 2027, Senzo would be the ANC president who would allow him (Ramaphosa) to complete his term of office while Senzo continues as police minister until 2029,” said the leader. 

He named certain ANC leaders from KwaZulu-Natal, whom he said have already started an underground campaign for Mchunu.  

“Those who support him believe that Mkhwanazi’s allegation was a plot to stop Senzo from being the president,” said the leader. 

The leader said he and some in the ANC are lobbying Lesufi for the top position.

“I am with the young man (Lesufi), and if he agrees, I will support him, and there are many who support Panyaza,” he said.

Another senior ANC leader at Moses Mabhida region said Mchunu has the qualities to lead the ANC. 

“He belongs to the category that walks all the leadership steps and has a traceable leadership history.

“He led a region and had many terms of leadership in the province, starting from being secretary, chairperson, and now a member of the national executive committee. 

“You will find that some people jump the steps and become lucky to be in the provincial and national leadership without a traceable leadership history in the organisation, of which Senzo is not that kind of a person,” he said.

Political analyst Thabani Khumalo said that despite facing serious allegations, Mchunu still stands a chance as ANC branches do not judge a candidate by the scandals. 

“I was expecting that in the conference where Ramaphosa was re-elected (in 2022), Senzo would be elected ANC deputy president.

“I asked myself why Senzo was overlooked because he was compromised in the previous conference (2017); therefore, in the following conference, he was supposed to be elevated to a higher position. 

“I think he was disappointed because I remember that he was carried to the stage by his supporters, who thought that he had won when Magashule had actually won,” said Khumalo.

 Another political analyst, Zakhele Ndlovu, described Mchunu as a seasoned politician who has risen through the ANC ranks.  

“In ANC tradition, Mchunu does have what it takes to be ANC president,” said Ndlovu. 

bongani.hans@inl.co.za