By Akani Nkuna
uMkhonto We Sizwe party members and several civil society groups held two parallel marches the to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to demonstrate their support for KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lt. General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
This follows Mkhwanazi’s explosive media address earlier this month, where he alleged that members of the cabinet and top-ranking police officials were embedded with the criminal syndicates. Embattled Police Minister Senzo Mchunu was placed on special leave this week.
MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela told Inside Politics that the party was pushing for the axing of Mchunu and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s resignation for failing to act decisively against those implicated by Mkhwanazi.
“Ramaphosa has violated the Constitution by appointing a person who is not a member of Parliament, Firoz Cachalia, to be minister of police,” he said.
“We are also calling for him to resign because he is a constitutional delinquent. He has violated the Constitution on many occasions.”
The march attracted thousands of MK Party supporters, who delivered a memorandum of demands to the Presidency and the Police Ministry in Pretoria.
MK Party national organiser Joe Ndhlela told the supporters outside the ministry that they were disappointed that the Ramaphosa chose to establish a commission of inquiry into the allegations instead of acting swiftly against Mchunu, further accusing him of using commissions of inquiry to shield those close to him implicated in wrongdoing.
“[We demand] the immediate firing of Senzo Mchunu, and the [abolishment] of the judicial commission of inquiry but opening of court case for alleged criminals. [We also call] for the immediate reinstatement of the KZN Political Killing Task Team,” he said.
The party spokesperson threatened they would intensify protests countrywide until Ramaphosa was prompted to act, and where necessary, they would explore legal routes.
“We are going to roll out mass action across the country and protest peacefully so around the country against what is happening and the decisions that he has taken, mostly against the GNU which has got criminals links. We are going to also table, as per Section 102, a motion of no confidence,” Ndhlela told Inside Politics.
Meanwhile, Rachel Makhuvele, the secretary of Defend South Africa, which was one of the NGOs that marched to the Union Buildings, delivered a resignation letter asking Ramaphosa to only put his signature on it.
Highlighting high unemployment rates, corruption involving Covid-19 relief funds, erosion of safety and security and the government fiscal challenges as the motivation behind the letter, Makhuvele said Ramaphosa’s tenure was badly tainted, and him vacating his office would immensely change the trajectory of the country for the better.
“The statistics and scandals paint a clear picture of failure: rising unemployment, worsening poverty, escalating crime, uncontrolled illegal immigration, a collapsing military, widespread corruption and a deliberate subversion of democracy,” Makhuvele said.
“South Africa cannot afford to continue on this path. The people must demand accountability and take action to remove a government that has neglected its duty to serve and protect its citizens.”
INSIDE METROS