President Cyril Ramaphosa will address the nation on Sunday night, following allegations of political interference and corruption in the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The allegations were made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi during a media briefing in Durban on Sunday.
Mkhwanazi accused Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, and Deputy Police Commissioner, Shadrack Sibiya, of corruption, interfering in high profile police investigations and having links with criminal syndicates.
He also alleged that Mchunu disbanded the political task team in the province, which he said, “had uncovered a drug cartel with links to high-profile politicians, businesspeople, and members of the judiciary.”
The Presidency said Ramaphosa was attending a BRICS summit in Brazil on Sunday, when Mkhwanazi outlined numerous allegations at a media briefing, thus he couldn’t respond immediately.
“The President undertook to attend to this development on his return from Brazil, in view of the implications for national security.
President Ramaphosa has been seized with this matter in recent days and will, following various consultations, take the nation into his confidence at 19h00 on Sunday, 13 July 2025,” read a statement from the presidency.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, has mandated three parliamentary committees to consider, on an urgent basis, in terms of their respective mandates, the allegations made by Mkhwanazi, and then report to the National Assembly within 14 days.
