The Pretoria High Court has struck off the urgent application by the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) and its leader, former President Jacob Zuma, which sought to halt the operations of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry. The court ruled on Thursday that the party’s bid is not sufficiently urgent and therefore cannot be heard on its merits at this time. In its ruling, the court found that the MK Party’s case did not meet the threshold of urgency required for…

Day one of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption within South Africa’s criminal justice system closed at about 4pm on Tuesday at the Bridgette Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria after almost six hours of testimony from KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Mkhwanazi began his evidence just after 10:30 and, following a lunch adjournment, resumed at 14:00. His testimony set the tone for what many observers believe may be a fraught and revealing inquiry:…

The African National Congress (ANC) has moved swiftly to clamp down on two of its high-profile members, suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and former Cabinet minister Malusi Gigaba, after their explosive public remarks that the party says amount to “deliberate de-campaigning” and a direct attack on ANC unity. In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, the ANC’s national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu said the party had taken “serious concern and disapproval” of comments made by both men, warning that “no…

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has penned a scathing legal letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa, demanding clarity over the suspension of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and questioning the legitimacy of Professor Firoz Cachalia’s appointment as Acting Police Minister. The party, acting on behalf of former President Jacob Zuma, also calls on Ramaphosa to resign for what it terms “unconstitutional and irrational” conduct. The letter, dated 4 August 2025 and authored by KMNS Inc. on instruction of Zuma, comes in the…

Accusations of double standards and factional favouritism are once again plaguing the African National Congress (ANC), after its Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula confirmed that embattled Police Minister Senzo Mchunu would not be required to step aside from party duties — despite being placed on special leave by President Cyril Ramaphosa amid a serious judicial inquiry. The announcement has triggered fierce public backlash, with critics pointing to what they call the “Animal Farm logic” of the ruling party: some comrades are more…

The uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party has dramatically escalated its confrontation with President Cyril Ramaphosa, filing an urgent application at the Constitutional Court on Friday to declare several of his recent executive decisions unconstitutional — including the appointment of acting police ministers and the establishment of a judicial inquiry into police corruption. The legal action coincided with a mass protest outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria, where hundreds of MK Party supporters, dressed in green, black and gold regalia, marched…

In a dramatic political twist just days before Mandela Day, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has issued President Cyril Ramaphosa with a formal letter of demand calling for his immediate resignation. The party on Wednesday, 17 July, said Ramaphosa must step down by 09:00 on Friday, 18 July, “in honour of Nelson Mandela, the founding Commander-in-Chief of uMkhonto weSizwe.” The letter, seen by African Times, accuses the President of multiple violations of the Constitution and undermining democratic principles. It follows…

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has revealed that former Police Minister Senzo Mchunu is now the subject of a criminal investigation by the South African Police Service (SAPS), adding yet another twist in the deepening crisis at the top of the country’s security leadership. DA Deputy Chief Whip Baxolile Nodada announced on Wednesday that a senior Lieutenant Colonel has been appointed to investigate charges laid by the party against Mchunu last week. The charges relate to allegations that Mchunu misled Parliament…

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to place Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave and appoint a judicial commission of inquiry into alleged criminal infiltration of the state has sparked a firestorm of political and civil backlash, with critics warning the country cannot afford “another Zondo-style dead end.” Ramaphosa announced on Sunday night that Mchunu would be temporarily removed from his duties following explosive allegations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, that the minister interfered with investigations and protected a…

President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on Special Leave, citing the need to restore public trust in the country’s law enforcement and government institutions. The move comes amid growing pressure over allegations linking Mchunu to a criminal syndicate and his alleged interference in investigations into political killings. In a statement released by the Presidency on Sunday night, Ramaphosa said the decision was “taken in the interest of accountability, good governance, and the integrity of the security cluster.”…