Mchunu to make first appearance before Parly ad hoc committee probing police corruption

Embattled Police Minister Senzo Mchunu will make his first appearance before Parliament on Thursday to answer to allegations of undue political interference in police operations.

Mchunu will give testimony before Parliament's ad hoc committee probing police corruption over three days, where he will also answer to allegations that he has links to certain crime syndicate members who tried to influence the disbanding of the political killings task team.

His appearance follows two days of testimony on Monday and Tuesday by suspended deputy commissioner, Shadrack Sibiya, who faced a number of tough questions over his own involvement in the disbandment of the task team and the removal of 121 case dockets from KwaZulu-Natal to Pretoria.

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One of the main allegations levelled against Mchunu during the last two weeks of hearings is how he gave a directive to disband the political killings task team, an operational matter that's in the domain of the national commissioner.

National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola told the committee during his submission last week that he disagreed with the move, but never got a clear answer from Mchunu, who is currently on a leave of absence over the allegations.

Mchunu will also be grilled over links to controversial businessman, Brown Mogotsi, who is accused of being part of the push to disband the task team to move attention away from their Gauteng operations.

Committee chairperson Soviet Lekganyane said that Mchunu's testimony will be over three days instead of two, to give the evidence leader two days to lead evidence instead of one.

"Senior counsel has requested that we will allocate him a day and a half. So Thursday and Friday, senior counsel will be leading evidence."

Mchunu will be questioned by MPs on Tuesday before Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia and former police minister, Bheki Cele, take the stand.