The allegations against the South African police minister are indeed serious and damaging, further eroding the little trust that citizens still have in institutions.

According to Thabang Motswaledi, a political analyst at the North-West University (NWU), the allegations have placed the already preoccupied Government of National Unity (GNU) under even greater strain, and put President Cyril Ramaphosa into a position where he must choose between government and party politics.

With the African National Congress (ANC) already under pressure to deal with corruption and pressure mounting on the policies around illegal immigration, the latest allegations are worrisome. President Ramaphosa has responded by placing police minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave and announcing the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry to address the issues at hand.

Many believe that the commission is a ploy by the government to play for time and avoid holding the minister accountable, as similar enquiries in the past have borne little fruit.

“What can be understood is that South Africans are worried about taxpayers’ money being wasted over a commission that won’t yield any result,” says Thabang.

He says that from a political perspective, the argument can be made that the president sought a balance between party politics and governmental issues.

“This is mainly driven from the understanding that the GNU left the ANC crippled, with less power to dictate governmental operations without needing other parties’ support. General Mkhwanazi, who also implicated the judiciary in his allegations, has since received public support from all perspectives, including political parties, hence the concern that the findings of the commission may not be transparent and truthful,” Thabang says.

“With pressure coming from all sides, it was important for the president to act. However, it was also important to balance party politics and the political support the president needs. This is all the more important for the ANC considering that Mchunu is from KwaZulu-Natal, which has more ANC branches than any other province.

Retaining this support is necessary if he is to finish his term in office and maintain the unity of Luthuli house.”

In the meantime, South Africans are on tenterhooks as they impatiently wait for the outcome of the Commission of Inquiry and, most importantly, wait to see if it will bear any fruit in terms of justice and accountability.

Thabang Motswaledi