South Africa’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has given President Cyril Ramaphosa until Friday morning to retract his Sunday announcement placing Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on leave, appointing Professor Firoz Cachalia as acting Police Minister from August 1, and establishing a Judicial Commission of Inquiry led by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga.

The party deems these actions unconstitutional and irrational, citing a violation of Section 98 of the Constitution, which governs the assignment of ministerial duties. In a letter drafted by its lawyers, the MK Party threatens a Constitutional Court challenge and a parliamentary motion of no confidence against Ramaphosa if he does not comply.

The controversy stems from allegations by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who claimed Mchunu interfered with investigations into political killings and colluded with criminal syndicates, including disbanding a task team probing these cases.

MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndlela questioned the integrity of parliamentary oversight, noting Mkhwanazi’s claims that some parliamentarians and judiciary members may be complicit in these criminal activities. This, he argued, undermines the legitimacy of parliamentary ad hoc committees and the judicial commission, as they could involve individuals implicated in the allegations.

Meanwhile, the portfolio committees on Police and Justice and Constitutional Development are holding a joint meeting to address Mkhwanazi’s allegations, which also implicate law enforcement, prosecutors, and the judiciary in a syndicate allegedly controlled by a Gauteng-based drug cartel.

The MK Party’s legal challenge and no-confidence motion add pressure to Ramaphosa’s administration, already facing criticism from opposition parties like the EFF and DA over the handling of Mchunu’s case and the broader issue of corruption within law enforcement.