The exclusion of suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu from President Cyril Ramaphosa’s list of 14 officials implicated in the Madlanga commission of inquiry has sparked a debate.
On Thursday, Ramaphosa directed acting police minister Firoz Cachalia and national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola to establish a special investigations task team to investigate individuals implicated in the inquiry.
The list includes nine current and former Ekurhuleni metro municipality workers and five police officers.
The commission, in its interim report, found there is prima facie evidence against them after their names were mentioned in evidence heard by the commission, which is investigating allegations of criminality, political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system.
“The task team will institute investigations against people identified by the commission for investigation,” Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said.
Despite facing serious allegations, including political interference and the alleged illegitimate dissolution of the political killings task team, Mchunu, his chief of staff Cedric Nkabinde, and others like suspended deputy national commissioner Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya were not on the list.
This sparked controversy, with some social media users accusing Ramaphosa of protecting Mchunu. Critics suggest the exclusion protects political allies while throwing top cops under the bus.
Magwenya said the interim report doesn’t mention anything about finding prima facie evidence against Mchunu.