A cellphone belonging to Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who is on a leave of absence, has been seized by police after a search-and-seizure warrant was served on him at his KwaZulu-Natal home on Tuesday in connection with charges of defeating the ends of justice and fraud.
The charges were opened in 2025 at the Durban Central police station, the provincial police said in a statement on Tuesday night.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said members of the Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit served the warrant which was granted by the Johannesburg High Court.
Mchunu's spokesperson, Sthembiso Mshengu, said that as a law abiding citizen and in the presence of his attorney, Mchunu handed over the device in line with the directive of the court.
“They grouped him in one search and seizure warrant with Vusimuzi ‘Cat’ Matlala, Brown Mogotsi, Sergeant Fannie Nkosi, and the Lieutenant-General accused of alleged rape and grooming a minor,” he told The National.
This is the second time that Mchunu's devices have been seized. In November last year he also handed over devices to the police. These items are yet to be returned.
“In the first raid, they took about four gadgets, which were two laptops and two cellphones. In this instance, they took one cellphone that he uses,” Mshengu said.
He added that Mchunu will address these developments and many other matters relating to him in the coming weeks.
Mchunu was placed on a leave of absence by President Cyril Ramaphosa on July 13, 2025. This came after KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi publicly accused his superiors of shielding organised crime syndicates from investigation.
Ramaphosa subsequently set up the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry to investigate the allegations. The commission has heard evidence concerning Mchunu's role in the December 31, 2024 letter ordering the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), amid allegations that the move benefited a criminal network.
Mkhwanazi has testified at the commission that he had opened a case of defeating the ends of justice against individuals who were attempting to prevent the KZN PKTT from uncovering corruption in Gauteng’s criminal justice system.
In more recent testimony, Hawks Lieutenant-Colonel Deena Govender alleged that Mchunu directed him to implicate Mkhwanazi in extra-judicial killings of suspects in KZN. Govender alleged that Mchunu told him this during a telephone conversation.
Mchunu has denied all allegations of wrongdoing. He is expected to return to testify at the commission of inquiry which is in its third phase of hearings. The commission's deadline for the submission of its final report has been extended until January 25, 2027.
The Presidency said the new deadline granted by Ramaphosa allows the Commission to process additional evidence, including the testimony of various experts who have made recommendations relating to the commission’s terms of reference.
gcwalisile.khanyile@nationalmg.co.za