Police minister turns on the charm on campaign trail in KZN

Police minister Senzo Mchunu showed no signs he was concerned about the explosive allegations made against him by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi when the minister went on a charm offensive in Vryheid in the north of the province on Tuesday. 

On Sunday, Mkhwanazi dropped a bombshell when he exposed an alleged criminal syndicate embedded in the police, judiciary and political leadership, shielding drug cartels, sabotaging investigations and using SAPS contracts to fund ANC political campaigns.

He claimed more than 120 case dockets were removed and the political killings task team was compromised on orders linked to Mchunu and deputy national police commissioner for crime detection Lt-Gen Shadrack Sibiya. 

The briefing has triggered an uproar including calls for the suspension of Mchunu, Sibiya and Mkhwanazi; a commission of inquiry, and social media threats of civil unrest if anything untoward happens to the KZN top cop.

On Tuesday, however, Mchunu was in a cordial mood while on a campaign trail in ward 23 ahead of a crucial by-election in Vryheid on Wednesday.

The by-election comes after ward councillor Xolani Zungu died in April.

Teachers called on him to clamp down on criminals terrorising their schools.

Local principal Thulasizwe Ntenga told Mchunu during a community meeting at a primary school in Vaalbank they are not safe.

Ntenga said there had been four break-ins at schools shortly before the winter break.

“We are scared because criminals come in broad daylight to terrorise teachers in front of learners. The biggest problem is our security guards are also vulnerable because they are not armed. We call on the police minister to deploy their intelligence unit to assist in detecting crime before it happens in our schools. We also want police to be deployed to safeguard our schools because we do not feel safe,” said Ntenga.

Ateacher, Themba Kubheka, said they have become targets of criminals.

In response, Mchunu said they are working closely with basic education minister Siviwe Gwarube to address crime in schools.

However, Mchunu said the fight against crime is not the sole responsibility of the police.

“The community also has a huge role to play in the fight against crime,” he said.

Induna Sipho Ngobese from Ncome said they are alarmed by people who invade the land of Amakhosi.

“Many of these people are rich, [judging] by houses they built, but they do not want to follow protocol and pay for the land they want to use,” said Ngobese.

Mchunu said while the Amakhosi's plea was out of their jurisdiction, they were willing to help.

“Police do not deal with those matters, we usually refer them to the traditional leadership in rural areas,” he said.

A local resident from the Vaalbank area, Thandeka Mlotshwa, urged Mchunu to help them remove the sludge in their pit latrines.

“Our pit toilets are full and dirty, it is now unhealthy to continue to use them. We want government to help us get other toilets or help us remove the sludge in the ones we are already using,” she said.