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Mkhwanazi was recently cleared of wrongdoing by Ipid.
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu. Picture: Gallo Images
Police Minister Senzo Mchunu says he continues to maintain positive relationships with senior police officials, including KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who was recently cleared of any wrongdoing.
Mchunu reacts to Ipid Decision
Speaking during a media briefing on the outcomes of the three-day police summit, Mchunu said he had not received any official communication regarding the Independent Police Investigative Directorate’s (Ipid) decision to withdraw its investigation into Mkhwanazi.
The investigation related to allegations of interference in the 2023 arrest of a senior Department of Correctional Services official.
The minister said he only became aware of the matter through the media.
“There is nothing formal that has come to me in the form of a report. If there is a withdrawal, then I have not been briefed,” Mchunu said on Friday.
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He reiterated that Ipid is not obligated to inform or consult him when making decisions.
“They took a decision, and they communicated the decision not to me, but to the person that they have to deal with in accordance with the way they work and their mandates,” Mchunu said.
“They have not briefed us or updated us on anything in that regard. But we are aware through reading of what is being said in the media as such.
“They don’t have to inform us when they make decisions and the nature of the decisions that they take.”
Watch the briefing below:
Mchunu also dismissed any speculation of tensions between him and senior police officials, including Mkhwanazi.
“I have very good relations with all [the provincial commissioners] in the country. There are nine of them, and they include those who are acting [in the position].
“They’re doing their work well. If there is any complaint on my side is that they must work harder on criminals,” he said.
The minister added: “If you want to be specific and say, ‘what are my relations with commissioner Mkhwanazi’, they are very good relations.”
Crime-fighting priorities
Mchunu said the police summit identified several key policing priorities, including reducing murder, removing illegal firearms, eradicating drugs, and tackling gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), along with combating organised crime.
Crimes such as kidnappings, extortion, cash-in-transit (CIT) heists, and stock theft were also identified as areas of concern.
“There are plans underway to bring those crimes under control,” he said on Friday.
The minister stressed that in order to effectively address crime, several enablers had been identified.
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These include investing in and upgrading technology, bolstering the crime intelligence division, upskilling detective services, expanding forensic capabilities, and improving working conditions for police officers.
“We have made mention of the budgetary constraints, but we have also committed to maximising the budget allocated and the resources at our disposal,” Mchunu said.
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola added that new technology will be critical in the future of policing, including the rollout of body-worn cameras to help tackle both crime and corruption.
“We are looking forward that this year we are going to roll out body cams.
“We won’t be able to roll out to the whole service, but there will be key areas in the frontline policing, those are the areas that we’re targeting.
“Frontline, we refer to as highway patrol, flying squad and your POP. So those are the areas that we’re targeting and also the rollout.”
Private security sector under review
Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA) CEO Manabela Chauke also addressed concerns regarding proposed amendments to the Private Security Industry Regulation Act.
Mchunu recently drafted amendments that aim to tighten restrictions on the types of firearms and ammunition that private security firms can possess. These proposals have sparked concern from the sector.
Chauke clarified that the intention is not to disarm private security companies.
“We don’t intend to disarm anyone. Secondly, there will be nobody who loses [their] because of these regulations,” he said.
READ MORE: Clarity given on private security industry’s proposed ‘firearms ban’
He said the aim of the draft legislation is to serve the public and national interest in regulating the conduct of the industry.
“We are regulating the possession, issuing and use of firearms. We are not regulating the licensing of firearms,” Chauke said, adding that licensing was the responsibility of the Saps in line with the Firearms Control Act.
“The thing we are attempting to do is to restrict the random use of firearms without any consideration whatsoever that is security related.”
New requirements
Chauke pointed to the failure to conduct risk assessments before deploying security services as a problem that the proposed regulations aim to resolve.
“So the categorisation of different weapons and their use in different circumstances is quite very important.”
He rejected claims that the regulations would impose blanket restrictions across the sector, saying they would only apply in specific areas.
The PSIRA CEO referenced incidents where excessive force or misuse of weapons had endangered civilians.
“We already had an incident where a rifle was discharged in a mall and a child was hurt; and that guard was supposed to have an ordinary pistol.”
Chauke also highlighted that under the new regulations, mental health assessments for security personnel would become a requirement.
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