Senzo Mchunu

 ( 1958 Births ) 

Towards the end of his term as Member of the Executive Council, in March 2013, Mchunu was elected Provincial Chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal ANC, succeeding Mkhize, who had been elected to the full-time position of national ANC Treasurer-General. Mchunu received 385 votes against the 373 votes received by the other candidate, incumbent Deputy Provincial Chairperson Willies Mchunu. According to the Mail & Guardian, his candidacy was opposed by Zuma (who by then was President of South Africa), apparently because Mchunu had not supported Zuma's bid for re-election at the ANC's 53rd National Conference in December 2012.

At the ANC's next provincial elective conference in November 2015, Mchunu ran for re-election as ANC Provincial Chairperson but was defeated by his one-time deputy, Sihle Zikalala, who received 780 votes against Mchunu's 675. Mchunu also failed to gain election as an ordinary member of the ANC Provincial Executive Committee. The outcome led to an outbreak of bitter factionalism in the provincial party, reportedly leading to several political assassinations. Mchunu's supporters claimed that the vote had been rigged and successfully challenged it in the courts, leading in late 2017 to the nullification of the election and the dissolution of Zikalala's leadership corps.

However, by then, Mchunu had been removed from the KwaZulu-Natal premiership: he resigned on 23 May 2016 under significant pressure from leaders of both the provincial and the national ANC. He said that he had informed the national ANC leadership that he had "reservations" about the circumstances of his departure. Shortly afterwards, the ANC announced that he would be replaced as Premier by Willies Mchunu and that he would be offered an ANC seat in the national Parliament.

Despite his defeat in the Secretary-General race, the 54th National Conference elected Mchunu to a five-year term as an ordinary member of the ANC National Executive Committee. He received 1,800 votes across the 4,283 ballots cast, making him the 18th-most popular of the 80 candidates elected. In February 2018, he was appointed chairperson of organising and campaigns in the party, a full-time position that was based out of the ANC's national headquarters at Luthuli House in Johannesburg and that involved working closely with the Secretary-General's office. Ramaphosa and his supporters had reportedly pushed for Mchunu to be appointed to the role, while Ace Magashule's preferred candidate was Dakota Legoete, who was appointed Mchunu's deputy.

On 1 July 2024, South African Police Union, welcomed Mchunu's appointment as the new Police Minister, but also issued a stern warning to stay in his lane and not interfere with operational matters of police. While Police, Prisons and Civil Rights Union, challenged Mchunu to stop the killing of law enforcement officers and over crowded prisons.

On 15 July 2024, Mchunu held a press conference in which he outlined his priorities as Minister of Police, indicating the need to modernize South African policing. He stated that crime levels in the country were too high and intolerable, and that tough measures were needed for certain crime reduction strategies.

In July 2025, /ref> Mchunu released a statement which rebuffed accusations as baseless. African Transformation Movement has since approached the public protector to investigate the allegations against Mchunu. Mchunu released a statement which he denied the controversial meeting with /ref> The Democratic Alliance and MK confirmed they opened a criminal case against Mchunu in /ref>

Following the allegations, Mchunu was suspended and put on leave with immediate effect on 13 July 2025 pending a judicial commission of inquiry into allegations of corruption and political interference into South Africa's policing authorities. Economic Freedom Fighters wrote a letter to President stating he doesn't have power to suspend Mchunu. KwaZulu-Natal ANC members found plotting against Mchunu to be dismissed from the cabinet.

In November 2025, Mchunu handed his electronic devices to investigators.

Testimony from police officials alleges that Brown Mogotsi is Mchunu's associate who interfered in high-profile police matters and facilitated payments from businessman Vusimusi Matlala for Mchunu's ANC supporters. Evidence presented to the Madlanga Commission, including WhatsApp chats and a letter penned by Mchunu ordering the disbandment of the PKTT, suggests Mogotsi had direct access to the Minister and leveraged this association. Mchunu has publicly denied having a close friendship with Mogotsi or ever meeting Matlala, asserting their interactions were limited to ANC matters, though one witness at the commission testified that Mchunu privately referred to Mogotsi as his "comrade."