‘Yes, Senzo Mchunu tried to arrest me before KwaDukuza by-elections’

An Umkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) councillor has confirmed to Sunday World that suspended Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu allegedly connived to arrest him to remove him from the ballot ahead of a highly contested by-election in KwaDukuza.

Doshie “Gaddafi” Govender said he got wind of his impending arrest a few days before the by-elections in April.

“Yes, Senzo Mchunu tried to arrest me before KwaDukuza by-elections, but I outsmarted him,” said Govender.

Govender was speaking to Sunday World after KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lt General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, told the Madlanga commission on Friday that Mchunu allegedly used the police to fight him in KwaDukuza in KwaZulu-Natal.

He alleged that Mchunu called a North Coast station commander identified as Major General Antony Gopal to a meeting to enquire about a case that he and his ANC comrades believed involved Doshie “Gaddafi” Govender of the Shakaskraal ward in KwaDukuza.

At the time, the popular Govender had dumped the ANC, made accusations of discrimination and joined the MK Party. Knowing his popularity in the area, the latter fielded him to contest the by-election under its banner early April this year.

According to Mkhwanazi, Mchunu and his comrades sensed defeat. They then came up with a plan to have him arrested to remove him from the ballot. But the plot was stillborn when it became clear the complaint had been about his brother, and Govender triumphed.

Govender said he had to fight back to survive the political onslaught.

“Yes, the police minister tried his best to frame me and have me arrested prior to the by-elections… unfortunately I was too sharp for them. He also instructed the KwaDukuza SAPS Lt General Gopal to investigate me. It was brought to my notice that the minister was asking for a 20-year old case to be reopened against me.

“The general (Gopal) stated to me that he was asked to reinvestigate me. But unfortunately when he went through my record, it showed that there was no reason to rearrest me.”

He alleged that when that failed, other ANC heavyweights in the province joined the fight.

“On the same token, both the MEC of Education (ANC’s Sipho Hlomuka) and the police minister on the 15th of March visited the Principal of Shakaskraal primary school to investigate MKP educators who were wearing MKP T-shirts.

“Both the MEC and police minister called up a meeting at the school with the educators and department officials. And they insisted that the principal Mr Singh be suspended for supporting the MKP. And currently Mr Singh remains suspended from April 2025, this was totally unfair,” he said.

Mchunu said he will respond to the commission about the allegations.

“Would really have loved to respond to you. I am obliged to respond to these allegations at the Commission in detail. [I] would want to wait until then. And I humbly apologise to you for this and hope you will understand,” he said.

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