Ad Hoc: Senzo Mchunu to Face Grilling From MPs on Oct 21-22

(The Post news)– Another week of long hours lies ahead for Members of Parliament (MPs), Parliament support staff, and various media houses as suspended Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu appears before the Ad Hoc Commission for yet another grilling session. Senzo Mchunu is scheduled to go in for thorough questioning from MPs on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

Mchunu was placed on special leave by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa from 6th July 2025, following misconduct from the police minister. Senzo Mchunu is the 4th witness to appear before the Ad Hoc Committee probing claims of the rot in the Criminal Justice Team. The committee work is set to come to a wrap-up on the 28th of November 2025.

He then informed MPs that his action of issuing a directive for the Political Killings Task Team to be disbanded was a carefully considered decision and was not driven by nefarious measures or motives. Bheki Cele is the next witness set to appear before the committee.

Senzo Mchunu Implicates Cyril Ramaphosa

It was revealed the previous week, on Friday the 17th of October 2025, that President Cyril Ramaphosa did in fact know about the decision Senzo Mchunu took to disband the Political Killings Task Team and was on board. However, as he conveyed this message, he was not entirely direct in his statement. He sounded rather vague and “danced” around the words that confirm that the president was on board with this decision. There are claims that Senzo Mchunu had to be nudged on several occasions in order for him to start stating facts.

Advocate Norman Arendse repeated the same question a few times to Senzo Mchunu. “Are you saying yes, the President did know?” Senzo responded by stating, “Yes, according to my affidavit, the president was briefed.” Economic Freedom Fighters political party leader Julius Malema interjected and demanded a direct and closed-end answer, being either “yes” or “no.” Senzo Mchunu repeated his previous statement, referring back to the affidavit.

There have been some headlines that have emerged on the internet from different media houses that claim that the suspended police minister has thrown Cyril Ramaphosa under the bus. However, this is a claim that awaits credibility, which is guaranteed to emerge over the next 48 hours.

Other various underlying political parties are set to get their opportunities of interrogating Senzo Mchunu based on this issue. Senzo Mchunu uttered something that may have raised a few eyebrows last week, Friday, 17th October. He said since the 6th of July 2025, he has been “wearing” and “smelling” Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

Mchunu Desperate for His Side to Be Heard

In a nutshell, Mchunu had openly confessed to being haunted by the events that have been taking place over the past couple of months. He further stated that he has been wanting, for so long, to be given the opportunity and platform to sit down and explain to the nation exactly what happened and to have the liberty to share his side of the story. Julius Malema once interjected and said, “Mchunu, don’t worry, you are going to get your chance. We are going to ask you questions, and you are going to get your chance to give your side of the story.”

MPs mentioned that there is some degree of uncertainty pertaining to whether the evidence leader, Advocate Norman Arendse SC, would be included in the Powers, Privileges, and Immunities of Parliaments and Provincial Legislature Act, 2004. This emerged after Senzo Mchunu’s Chief of Staff, Cedrick Nkabinde, demanded an apology from the Parliament’s Ad Hoc Committee evidence leader for the comments he made last Wednesday, 15th October 2025.