ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says President Cyril Ramaphosa did not tiptoe around suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu despite their alleged political alliance.
“ANC members are allies of the party, so are you suggesting that if someone is an ally, the president should turn [ignore] their actions?” asked Mbalula.
“The president has taken an oath, so to suggest he can’t act would mean he’s broken that oath.”
Mchunu is believed to be a political ally of Ramaphosa and one of his staunch supporters throughout his presidency.
He is also reportedly being touted as a potential presidential candidate for the 2027 ANC national elective conference.
Wrongdoing must be addressed
According to internal sources, this relationship made it more challenging for Ramaphosa to act against Mchunu.
But, said Mbalula, if Ramaphosa was swayed by political loyalties, he would not have acted as he did with Mchunu.
“He would have said, ‘let me leave this, but he understands the country comes first. When he’s there in government, we expect him to act.”
He added that it does not matter who supported Ramaphosa within the ANC, saying when it comes to government responsibilities, wrongdoing must be addressed.
“Presidents have taken decisions against ministers irrespective of where you stood with him at a particular point.”
Over the weekend, reports suggested that Mchunu had met with the ANC’s integrity commission to discuss the allegations against him.
Mbalula denied this, saying no such meeting occurred and that party officials would meet with Mchunu at the appropriate time.
Mchunu not removed from NEC
He added that Mchunu will continue with his duties as a member of parliament and will not be removed from the party’s national executive committee (NEC) or the national working committee (NWC).
However, he clarified that Mchunu did not attend the ANC’s NWC meeting, citing the special leave that Ramaphosa had put him on.
“Comrade Senzo is a member of parliament and will perform all duties expected of him in that capacity.
“He missed the meeting due to a leave of absence, but I will explain to him that such leave doesn’t apply within the ANC and his political responsibilities.”
