Former Police Minister Senzo Mchunu says he needs no protection and has spoken to no one about National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola, as his name is dragged into a vicious public spat over the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).
Mchunu’s pushback comes as former President Cyril Ramaphosa’s ex-spokesperson, ANC MP Khusela Sangoni, has been thrust back into the spotlight after being accused of running a “dirty sinister” campaign to defend Mchunu and shift blame to Masemola.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Activists and Citizens Forum official, Dennis Bloem, launched an attack on Sangoni, accusing her of trying to clear Mchunu’s name at all costs.
Bloem alleges that Sangoni, who sits on Parliament’s Ad-Hoc Committee probing the PKTT disbandment, has “exposed herself that she will try any trick in the book to clear the name of her suspended comrade Senzo Mchunu.”
“The latest is that she is pointing the finger at Commissioner Fannie Masemola for the disbandment of the PKTT,” Bloem said.
The forum claims Sangoni and the ANC supported what it calls a failed attempt by Investigating Directorate Against Corruption head Adv Andrea Johnson and her “IDAC faction to get rid of Commissioner Fannie Masemola”
“It is totally disgusting but not surprising that Khusela Sangoni now finds Commissioner Masemola guilty and accusing him of failing to uphold his oath by not objecting to an unlawful instruction from his political Head Minister Senzo Mchunu We can see right through this questionable failed member of Parliament,” Bloem charged.
“Why is Khusela Sangoni not condemning Minister Mchunu for giving Commissioner Masemola an unlawful instruction?” he asked.
The statement did not stop at the PKTT. It took direct aim at Sangoni’s history and her appointment to the Ad-Hoc Committee.
“The composition of the Parliamentary Ad-Hoc Committee was a failure from the start. When we saw the name of Khusela Sangoni on the list, we knew that the Committee would fail and we are vindicated,” Bloem said.
“Khusela Sangoni was fired as the spokesperson of the President Cyril Ramaphosa because of serious allegations of Covid PPE tender scandal corruption, and she was parachuted to Parliament.”
Bloem argued that the committee’s struggles – now after six extensions without a final report – are due to political agendas and grandstanding.
“This Ad-Hoc Committee is now struggling to produce a report after 6 extensions because of pushing political agendas and grand standing. We knew that this would happen.”
“Khusela Sangoni does not hide her loyalty to Minister Senzo Mchunu. She is indirectly saying that Minister Senzo Mchunu is falsely accused. He has done nothing wrong,” Bloem said, warning that her “reckless and unfounded comments will further damage the already damaged integrity and reputation of the Ad-Hoc Parliamentary Committee.”
But Mchunu, who has largely been silent since being placed on special leave following KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s explosive allegations of links to criminal syndicates and political interference, is now distancing himself from both the attack and the alleged defence.
Speaking to Africa Daily on Friday, Mchunu’s spokesperson, Sthembiso Mshengu, said Mchunu needs no one to speak for him.
“Any other South African or Dennis Bloem has taken a posture that the former minister is guilty as charged. He has not been found to have done anything wrong or proven to have done wrong,” Mshengu said.
Mshengu added: “He has not spoken to anyone about Fannie Masemola or anyone.”
Mchunu is not asking Sangoni or anyone else to protect him, and he has not been found guilty of anything.
The PKTT saga remains at the heart of the police crisis.
The task team, established to probe political killings, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, was disbanded on Mchunu’s instruction, according to testimony before Parliament.
Masemola has told Parliament he implemented the instruction as it came from his political head.
Sangoni’s alleged attempt to flip that and blame Masemola for not resisting an unlawful instruction has now triggered a fresh political storm.
