Madlanga Commission: Police Minister challenged station commander over MK Party candidate

The Madlanga Commission has heard testimony detailing how Police Minister Senzo Mchunu allegedly confronted a station commander for failing to arrest a politician from the Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.

Acting KwaZulu-Natal Deputy Police Commissioner Anthony Gopaul testified before the commission on Monday morning, recounting an interaction with Mchunu during a by-election in the KwaDukuza Local Municipality.

The incident centres on Vishnu "Dooshie" Govender, a former African National Congress (ANC) ward councillor who defected to the MK Party last year. Govender’s resignation from the ANC triggered a by-election in Ward 28 of KwaDukuza.

Gopaul stated that senior ANC officials, including Mchunu, arrived in KwaDukuza to campaign ahead of the vote. During his visit to the area, Mchunu reportedly visited the local police station to raise concerns regarding Govender.

According to Gopaul, Mchunu challenged the leadership at the station regarding complaints made by residents against the MK Party candidate.

“He then indicated to the station commander, Lieutenant Colonel Naicker, that while he was on his campaign trail, he was taken to some people who complained extensively about the MK Party candidate Mr Dooshie Govender," Gopaul testified.

Gopaul further detailed Mchunu's grievances: "The complaints he had received from them [were that] the police is doing nothing and they are under the control of Mr Dooshie Govender and his family, who get away with doing any kind of atrocity they feel like.”

Gopaul told the commission that upon being informed the Minister was at the station, he drove there personally to meet with him and address the situation.