Build One South Africa (BOSA) notes President Cyril Ramaphosa’s public briefing on Sunday evening, in which he announced the suspension of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu following the explosive allegations made by General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. He also confirmed a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into alleged political interference in SAPS, with an interim report due in 90 days and a final report scheduled within six months. It is concerning that the President has opted to delay justice through an inquiry whose interim conclusions arrive in three months and final findings only in six.
Justice delayed is justice denied. While this slow-moving process unfolds, evidence may dissipate, public trust will crumble, and the politically implicated remain unchecked. Criminal investigations and prosecutions must run alongside, not following, the inquiry.
To that end, BOSA demands:
1. That President Ramaphosa immediately establish a Special Investigating
Unit (SIU) probe with a full mandate to pursue all implicated individuals;
2. That all officials against whom there is prima facie evidence be suspended
immediately, without exception;
3. That a Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee be established to oversee investigations, with a progress report tabled within 60 days, and actionable referrals submitted to law enforcement and prosecutorial bodies.
4. That the President immediately fast-track the legislation to protect whistleblowers, which his government has already committed to, but failed to deliver, especially as witnesses now face retaliation, intimidation, and
even assassination for speaking out.
Minister Senzo Mchunu must not just be suspended – he must be fired and allowed to return to Parliament as an ordinary MP. Keeping him in Cabinet is unacceptable, but pushing him back into Parliament without consequences undermines the institution’s integrity and accountability. The decision to suspend the minister erodes public trust and sends a message that those accused of serious misconduct face no real consequences. BOSA demands that Mchunu be held fully accountable and removed from cabinet without delay. We also ask: Are taxpayers now expected to pay the salaries of two Police Ministers, both Minister Mchunu and upcoming acting-minster Cachalia, while the SAPS collapses from within and political killings continue unchecked? The answer must be a resounding no. South Africans deserve more than slow-moving inquiries. They deserve a leaner, cleaner, and more accountable government, and one that upholds constitutional integrity and does not shield compromised officials or conceal performance scorecards behind bureaucracy. BOSA will use every legal and parliamentary tool available to ensure we have a government worthy of the people it serves.
Media Enquiries:
Roger Solomons – BOSA Spokesperson – 072 299 3551