A senior police expert has accused Parliament of failing South Africans by ignoring early warnings of political interference within the police service.
Testifying before the Madlanga Commission, Major General Patronella Van Rooyen said Parliament turned a blind eye to serious allegations against KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, months before his explosive public outburst in July.
She stressed that even a basic inquiry by the Portfolio Committee would have shown proper oversight. “The fact that the committee didn’t act is, in my mind, a failure of their mandate,” Van Rooyen said.
Mkhwanazi made headlines on July 6 when, flanked by heavily armed tactical officers, he accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of interfering in major investigations and ordering the shutdown of the Political Killings Task Team. He also alleged that Mchunu shielded criminal networks linked to politics and law enforcement.
National Commissioner Fannie Masemola backed these claims, while Mchunu and suspended deputy commissioner Shadrack Sibiya were accused of ties to controversial businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and Katiso Molefe.
Van Rooyen told the commission that Mchunu had no legal authority to disband the task team. “That decision fell outside his mandate,” she said, citing Section 207 of the Constitution, which gives operational control of the police to the commissioner—not the minister.
Her testimony adds weight to growing claims that political meddling has weakened South Africa’s fight against crime.