'No country left' if MK does not fight for KZN cop, says Zuma

There would be "no country left" if former president Jacob Zuma and the MK party did not fight the Madlanga inquiry into KwaZulu-Natal police chief Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi's allegations of criminal infiltration in the South African justice system, the Constitutional Court was told yesterday.

- Faizel Patel

Police minister Senzo Mchunu is on special leave and President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Wits law professor Feroz Cachalia as acting police minister.

Chief Justice Mandisa Maya and Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga were not part of the bench hearing the matter yesterday.

Advocate Dali Mpofu, representing Zuma, argued that the leave of absence granted to Mchunu is central to the MK party's case because if it had not been granted, there would be no need to appoint Cachalia in an acting position.

According to the MK party, Mkhwanazi's accusations "raise urgent and serious concerns around the constitution, the rule of law and national security".

While Ramaphosa said he had placed Mchunu on special leave to allow the Madlanga commission to properly investigate the claims, Mpofu said questions need to be raised about whether "another multibillion-rand commission" was "in the best interests of our people".

"Is it in the best interests of the people to have two police ministers? With one sitting at home while the other serves in an acting position," Mpofu said.