### Allegations of Criminal Links Plague South Africa's Police Minister

In an alarming press briefing, KwaZulu-Natal police chief Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has accused South Africa's Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of collusion with criminal syndicates and interference in high-profile investigations.

In a startling development for South African law enforcement, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu stands accused of having connections to criminal gangs and manipulating police investigations related to politically motivated assassinations. These serious allegations were made by Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the police chief of KwaZulu-Natal, during a press conference on Sunday.

Mkhwanazi has claimed that Mchunu is allegedly receiving financial backing from a businessman with a controversial background, aiming to support his political aspirations. The minister has refuted these allegations, which he describes as "wild," while President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasized their severity, calling for immediate attention due to their implications for national security.

Mkhwanazi outlined the purported circumstances surrounding the disbandment of a task force established in 2018, which was intended to investigate the murders of politicians, especially in KwaZulu-Natal. He asserted that the forced shutdown of this task force was orchestrated in response to findings that implicated several high-profile individuals, including politicians and business figures affiliated with drug cartels.

In earlier announcements, Mchunu defended his actions, stating that the unit was not yielding results even as numerous cases remained unresolved. Mkhwanazi alleged that Mchunu ordered the removal of 121 case files from the unit without proper authority, claiming these files are stagnant, leaving crucial investigations untouched. He pointed out that at least five of these cases were already primed for arrests prior to the unit's disbandment.

Additionally, Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of maintaining ties with Vusimuzi Matlala, a businessman who previously held a lucrative police contract before being charged with attempted murder. Presenting evidence in the form of text messages, Mkhwanazi suggested that Matlala was financially assisting Mchunu in his political career.

General Fannie Masemola, the national police commissioner, has promised to address the gravity of these accusations later this week during an announcement regarding the new acting crime intelligence chief. This follows the arrest last month of Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo, who has been implicated in fraud and corruption, along with several others, in an ongoing investigation into the misuse of intelligence funds and questionable leadership appointments within the South African Police Service (SAPS).