Key details of the operation
- Who carried it out: Members of the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Serious and Violent Crimes Unit.
- Legal basis: A search-and-seizure warrant issued by the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg. The warrant specifically targeted phones with listed IMEI numbers.
- What was taken: Cellphones (described in reports as electronic devices or communication tools). Mchunu’s spokesperson, Sithembiso (or Sthembiso) Mshengu, stated that the minister, acting as a law-abiding citizen and in the presence of his attorney, handed over the device(s) without incident in compliance with the court order.
- Police confirmation: KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda described it as part of an ongoing investigation into cases of defeating the ends of justice and fraud (among other charges) opened in 2025 at Durban Central police station. He referred to the operation at “a Cabinet minister’s house.”
- Second instance: This was the second time police have seized Mchunu’s communication devices. The first occurred (or was attempted) around October 2025; according to Mchunu’s side, the earlier devices had not been returned.
Some reports note that the raid on Mchunu’s home occurred around the same time as a related search at the residence of suspended Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya (in Centurion). Sibiya was arrested around the same period on separate charges of rape, sexual grooming of a minor, and trafficking in persons; he appeared in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on 22 September 2026 and was remanded in custody.
Broader context
Mchunu, a former KwaZulu-Natal Premier, was placed on special leave of absence by President Cyril Ramaphosa with immediate effect on 13 July 2025. This followed explosive allegations by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi of political interference in the justice system, including claims that Mchunu ordered the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) in a manner that allegedly protected individuals linked to organised crime syndicates.
These claims form a central part of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry (into alleged corruption, political interference, and rot in the police and criminal justice system) and a related parliamentary ad hoc committee. Witness testimony has linked Mchunu to figures such as businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and alleged associate Brown Mogotsi, with allegations involving political funding, interference in investigations, and protection of criminal networks. Mchunu has denied wrongdoing and has testified before the parliamentary committee; he has indicated he will address the latest developments and related matters in the coming weeks.
Earlier interactions with law enforcement over devices include a contested or incomplete attempt in October 2025 (prompting legal correspondence from Mchunu’s lawyers alleging intimidation) and a voluntary handover of devices to the PKTT in some reports from late 2025.
Implications and ongoing aspects
The latest seizure fits into a pattern of intensified scrutiny of senior police leadership figures amid factional tensions, succession dynamics within SAPS, and the Madlanga Commission process. Critics and associates of those targeted have at times framed such actions as politically motivated or linked to internal power struggles, while authorities describe them as standard investigative steps based on court-authorised warrants and prior case dockets.
Mchunu remains on special leave pending the outcomes of the commission and related processes; President Ramaphosa has indicated decisions on his future will follow the Madlanga findings. No formal criminal charges against Mchunu himself arising from the fraud/defeating-the-ends-of-justice investigation have been publicly detailed in the immediate reporting on this raid, though the probes continue.
