Police Minister Mchunu's Home Raided, Phone Seized

Police in South Africa raided the private KwaZulu-Natal home of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who is on special leave, on Monday 21 September 2026, seizing a mobile handset under a court warrant that targeted specific phone IMEI numbers. Mchunu was present and handed the device over voluntarily, with his attorney in the room. It is the second time his phones have been taken.

Police Minister on Special Leave Has Home Raided, Phone Seized

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Officers from the Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit executed a search-and-seizure warrant at Senzo Mchunu's family home in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday 21 September 2026, taking at least one handset identified by its IMEI number. The warrant was granted by the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg. Mchunu, who is on special leave, was home. He handed the phone over himself, in front of his lawyer, and has not been charged.

The Raid at a Private Home in KwaZulu-Natal

The operation was carried out by the Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit, a SAPS structure, at Mchunu's private family home in KwaZulu-Natal. The warrant was granted by the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg and named cellular phones by their IMEI numbers — a technical identifier unique to each handset. At least one device was seized.

Mchunu was present when officers arrived. His spokesperson, Sthembiso Mshengu, said the minister cooperated fully. "As a law-abiding citizen and in the presence of his attorney, Minister Mchunu handed over the handset in line with the directive of the court," Mshengu said in a statement released late on Tuesday, 22 September 2026. Mshengu added that Mchunu "will address these developments and many other matters that evolve around his name in the coming weeks."

No arrest has been reported. Police have not said what, if anything, was found on the handset.

The Warrant, and the Ones That Came Before It

This is the second time one of Mchunu's homes has been raided and his electronic devices seized. The first operation took place at his Midrand home in October 2025. Devices taken then have still not been returned, according to his spokesperson, who noted the pattern in the wake of Monday's search.

That October 2025 raid was itself contested. Officers attempted to search the property but were turned away by colleagues guarding the home. Mchunu's lawyers then sent a letter to suspended National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola demanding a copy of the warrant and accusing investigators of intimidation.

In January 2026, Mchunu voluntarily handed over his electronic devices to members of the Political Killings Task Team at his official residence. That handover was cooperative. Monday's was executed under a court order.

What the Police Say They Are Investigating

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed the operation and framed it as routine. "This is part of an ongoing police investigation on cases of defeating the ends of justice and fraud, among other charges, which were opened in 2025 at Durban Central police station," Netshiunda said.

He described the legal mechanism plainly. "The search and seizure is a normal investigative process in which police convince the court to grant them the warrant to search and seize particular items as mentioned in the application for the warrant," Netshiunda said.

The charges under investigation — defeating the ends of justice and fraud — were opened in 2025 at Durban Central. Police have not linked the seized handset to any specific finding. No court has found Mchunu guilty of any offence, and he has not been charged as far as the record shows.

The Minister Still on Special Leave

Senzo Mchunu is the minister responsible for the South African Police Service. He has been on special leave since July 2025, when President Cyril Ramaphosa stood him aside after allegations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi that the minister had links to criminal syndicates and had interfered in high-profile investigations, including political murder cases.

Mchunu has denied guilt, calling the corruption allegations against him baseless. He has maintained he has nothing to hide, that he cooperated with investigators throughout, and that due process would show his actions were lawful and ethical.

Ramaphosa has said a decision on Mchunu's future will be made only once the Madlanga Commission releases its final report. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya put it directly: "We have communicated many times that the President will make a decision on Minister Mchunu once he has a final report of the Madlanga Commission."

The Commission That Has Not Finished

The Madlanga Commission — formally the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System — is chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga. It was established by Ramaphosa in response to the allegations against Mchunu.

Its second interim report was handed to the President on 29 May 2026. On Thursday, 6 August 2026, the Presidency released a statement saying it had "noted the recommendations and referrals contained in the Second Interim Report." The final report has not been released.

SABC News reported the Presidency has confirmed Mchunu was not implicated in the commission's interim report. The commission's work continues, and so does the uncertainty over the minister's position.

The Political Killings Task Team

Mchunu has admitted to disbanding the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team without consulting National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola. The disbandment directive was issued on 31 December 2024 — the day Masemola began annual leave.

An ad hoc committee investigating Mkhwanazi's allegations heard from 28 witnesses. Its evidence leaders, led by Advocate Norman Arendse, made adverse findings against Mchunu, finding the 31 December directive was issued without consultation with the national commissioner, the president, the NPA, the SSA or the civilian secretariat.

The committee found Mchunu misrepresented his discussion with Ramaphosa on the disbandment. Mchunu told the committee he had briefed Ramaphosa and that the President had agreed with the briefing. The committee found the president did not approve the disbandment, was not consulted, and took constitutionally grounded steps in response. Its evidentiary record described "a serious and multilayered institutional crisis."

The Same Week, the Same Force

Reports of the Mchunu raid emerged alongside accounts of a similar search-and-seizure operation at the Centurion home of suspended deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya. He was arrested on Monday at a strip club by members of the Madlanga Commission's Recommendations Task Team, and appeared in the Randburg Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

He faces five charges: rape, trafficking in persons, promoting the sexual grooming of a child, and two counts of sexual grooming of a child. One alleged victim is an 18-year-old woman allegedly raped at a hotel in Sandton in May 2026. There is also an allegation involving a 16-year-old girl between July and August 2026. He is presumed innocent and his case is before the courts.

Bishop Maumela, who described himself as a friend of Sibiya, told the media on Tuesday about the raid at Mchunu's house. "In the morning, the police were at general (Sibiya's) house with search and seizure (warrant), at the same time there was police at Senzo Mchunu's house with a search and seizure," Maumela said. "I am told that there are many being targeted. It seems this is an act where people are being targeted because of succession battles and if the president cannot intervene, we are going to retaliate."

The Chief Who Is Also Suspended

National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola appeared in the Pretoria Magistrates' Court on 21 April 2026 and was placed on precautionary suspension by Ramaphosa on 23 April 2026. He faces four counts of contravening the Public Finance Management Act over the irregular award of a Medicare24 Tshwane District SAPS health services contract.

The reported tender value is 228 million rand, approximately $13.8 million, though some reports cite R300 million or R360 million for related figures. Businessman Vusimuzi "Cat" Matlala's company Medicare24 won the contract. Matlala and 15 others face corruption, fraud and money laundering charges. They have not yet entered pleas. Masemola denies the allegations.

Ramaphosa appointed Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane, SAPS Divisional Commissioner for Financial Management Services, as Acting National Police Commissioner. Firoz Cachalia is Acting Police Minister.

The Talk of Succession Battles

The parallel raids have fuelled speculation about internal power struggles inside the SAPS and the broader state security apparatus. Maumela's claim of "succession battles" is his own, made to media, and no evidence has been presented to support it. He offered no names and no documents.

The Democratic Alliance's federal leader, Geordin Hill-Lewis, said: "South Africans now face the extraordinary reality that the Minister of Police, the National Commissioner, and a Deputy National Commissioner have all been suspended or placed on leave." ActionSA MP Dereleen James described the situation as a "cycle of acting appointments." AfriForum chief spokesperson for community safety Jacques Broodryk warned the developments were destabilising the SAPS further.

Former Western Cape Police Commissioner and security expert Dr Lennit Max said the sexual offence charges against Sibiya "strike at the credibility of the South African Police Service" and that "That in itself is very damaging to the police as a whole." He stressed the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

What Comes Next

Sibiya remains in custody at Kgosi Mampuru correctional facility in Tshwane. His matter was postponed to 29 September 2026 for a bail hearing. NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago said: "He will be taken to Kgosi Mampuru up until the 29th of September." The State opposed bail, citing possible witness intimidation and intelligence suggesting he could escape if held at a police station. Investigating officers will probe reports of a voice note received on Tuesday afternoon in which possible witnesses were allegedly intimidated.

For Mchunu, no arrest has been reported and no charges have been filed. The Madlanga Commission has not released its final report, and Ramaphosa has not made a decision on the minister's future. The handset seized on Monday is now in police custody. What it contains — if anything — has not been disclosed.

Mchunu has promised to address the matter publicly in the coming weeks. For now, the country's minister of police is waiting on a court, a commission and a president — while the police service he oversees keeps knocking on his door.

By Jessica Ali, Staff Writer

This article was produced with AI-assisted research and editorial support. Sources: News24, Eyewitness News, Daily Sun, Mail & Guardian, ENCA, SAnews, the South African Parliament, SABC News, Business Report and Reuters.