Johannesburg – Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has firmly rejected claims that President Cyril Ramaphosa is shielding suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu amid the Madlanga Commission’s interim report.
In an SABC News interview on Friday, Magwenya said there is “no evidence” of protection, emphasising Ramaphosa’s commitment to due process.
He said the president awaits the commission’s final findings, expected after its extension to June 30, before acting, as the interim report lacks recommendations against Mchunu despite mentions of him.
“It’s not a case of Minister Mchunu being defended or protected. There’s no protection. There’s no evidence of the president protecting Minister Mchunu in any way whatsoever,” said Magwenya.
“The fact is, with respect to the Madanga commission, the president recognises that what has come out of that commission has contributed to low levels of confidence and law enforcement.
Magwenya described Ramaphosa as a “person of due process,” arguing premature action would be unfair before Mchunu responds further to allegations, including those from Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi on disbanding the PKTT unit.
He noted Mchunu remains on special leave, not overseeing police duties.
“There’s an opportunity to reform the criminal justice system, which will happen when the commission has concluded its work
“The president is a person of due process; he prefers to have due process in place. We have a constitution, and we are a country that ensures that when we deal with people, whether there are allegations against them or not, those people are dealt with in a fair manner, and that’s what the president fundamentally believes in.
“In this particular case, he will act when he needs to act against Minister Mchunu. He doesn’t think he needs to act against Minister Mchunu now, given what he has heard at the commission.
“You can hold the view that he must act now, he holds the view that he will act once the commission has concluded its work because he believes that Minister Mchunu must answer to those allegations and that at the end of the commission’s work, the commission will have findings against Minister Mchunu that he can then reference in his action.”
The remarks followed Ramaphosa’s acceptance of the report’s calls for probes into 14 officials, excluding Mchunu, sparking criticism of inaction.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
