Cape Town – Former ANC treasurer-general Mathews Phosa has sharply criticised his own party for “protecting” Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, demanding that he step aside from all ANC structures and be fired as minister.
Phosa told Newzroom Afrika: “The ANC was wrong, and the minister was right; he should have been allowed to step aside. This whole thing of protecting one another must come to an end; that is what is damaging the image of the ANC.”
He insisted that Mchunu should not only step away from political activities but also “be fired from his role as minister of police.”
Echoing his public rebuke, political analyst Andre Duvenhage argued that inaction against Mchunu reflects deep factional battles in the ANC.
“It is an indication of the infighting in the ANC … The fact that no action has been taken against him indicates that Ramaphosa’s position is relatively strong,” Duvenhage told The Citizen.
ANC veteran Mathews Phosa says President Cyril Ramaphosa should have sacked embattled Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. Phosa says this would have sent a clear statement of no tolerance against wrongdoing. He joins #Newzroom405‘s @XoliMngambi for more.
Watch: https://t.co/tXBk4zXTEK pic.twitter.com/Zylg9HfqxE
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) November 20, 2025
Phosa also called out broader failures of accountability, saying that public trust has eroded: “The people have lost confidence in the law enforcement, in the police force and in other state institutions because of this type of behaviour. Why don’t we just behave clean and move on?”
His demands come amid mounting controversy around Mchunu. KZN Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi previously accused Mchunu of instructing that the Political Killings Task Team be disbanded, allegedly to protect politically connected individuals.
At the same time, it was learned that the ANC’s National Executive Committee recently decided not to require Mchunu to step aside, even though he had indicated he was willing to do so.
Phosa reiterated calls for decisive leadership from President Cyril Ramaphosa. Phosa said the president must act swiftly, “If the minister is implicated, he must be fired now; no one must be protected. … There can’t be a middle road; there’s no middle in dealing with crime.”
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Compiled by Lisabeal Nqamqhele
