President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe as Acting Minister of Police with immediate effect.
This after Ramaphosa placed Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave following allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal provincial commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, about his involvement with crime syndicates and interference in police investigation.
“Minister Mantashe will serve in this capacity until Professor Firoz Cachalia, who will retire from his position at the University of the Witwatersrand at the end of this month, assumes his position at the start of August.
Minister Mantashe will retain his responsibilities as Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources,” read a statement from the Presidency.
Ramaphosa announced the appointment of Cachalia during his address to the nation on Sunday night.
The President said Cachalia was appointed in terms of Section 91(3)(c) of the Constitution, which grants the president the authority to appoint a maximum of two ministers from outside the National Assembly.
