Pretoria – Former president Jacob Zuma and the MK party suffered a setback after the Pretoria High Court dismissed their urgent attempt to overturn President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to place Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave.
The court also rejected challenges against Firoz Cachalia’s appointment as Acting Police Minister and the establishment of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into alleged corruption and interference in the police and justice system.
Judge Anthony Millar ruled that the suspension of a minister pending investigation and the creation of an independent inquiry are lawful and rational exercises of executive power.
“In this instance, the President, on the facts presented, did rationally apply his mind to the establishment of the Madlanga Commission. It is a decision that cannot be faulted from a legality and rationality vantage point. In the premises, the entire application falls to be dismissed,” The Citizen quoted Millar as saying.
[BREAKING NEWS] The Pretoria High Court has dismissed the MK Party’s bid to set aside President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to place Senzo Mchunu on special leave. #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/I1zTEcWYIw
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) December 9, 2025
He emphasised that temporary relief sought by Zuma and the MK party failed to meet the legal requirements for an interdict, and no constitutional invalidity was found.
Zuma and the MK party wanted the court to declare Ramaphosa’s actions unlawful and invalid, but the application was dismissed with parties ordered to pay their own costs.
This follows the Constitutional Court’s earlier refusal of direct access in the case.
The legal dispute arose after KwaZulu-Natal police chief Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi alleged criminal infiltration of the justice system and accused Mchunu of interfering to protect politically connected crime syndicates by disbanding a task team investigating political killings.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
