The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has released a statement demanding President Cyril Ramaphosa’s accountability.
This comes after the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, alleged that Ramaphosa instructed National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola to deploy the Special Task Force (STF) and National Intervention Unit (NIU) to provide security for Richards Bay Minerals (RBM).
Mkhwanazi made these claims before the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry on Friday, 19 September.
The MK Party accused Ramaphosa for abusing state security resources at taxpayers’ expense.
“These allegations do not just validate the MK Party’s long-standing concerns; they expose, in [no certain] terms, a Presidency under Cyril Ramaphosa that is actively manipulating state security structures to serve political agendas,” the party stated.
MK Party’s demands from Ramaphosa
The MK Party further demanded the president to provide a detailed report, disclosing legal bases and costs for the deployment.
The party urged Ramaphosa to account to the public about how deployment those deployments aligns with his duties as president.
“If Mr. Ramaphosa fails to respond satisfactorily, the MK Party will escalate the matter through all parliamentary, chapter 9, Auditor-General and legal mechanisms to hold him accountable,” the MK Party added.
The MK Party also emphasised that the state’s primary role is to serve the citizens, not interests of mining companies.
Mkhwanazi’s claims on RBM
Mkhwanazi said that his team investigated a murder case of RBM’s general manager of operations, Nico Swart.
According to media reports, Swart was shot and killed on his way to work in May 2021.
Mkhwanazi revealed that after a year-long investigation, his team managed to apprehend a suspect. He said the man was believed to be responsible for the murder of one of the executives.
However, Mkhwanazi explained that the suspect, who had been released on bail, was killed before he could testify-destroying hopes of reaching the final verdict in the case.
In addition, Mkhwanazi shared that following the incident, he initially withdrew his team from Richards Bay. However, on Ramaphosa’s instructions, he was later told to redeploy them.
Mkhwanazi added that the NIU was deployed without his knowledge, as it happened while he was still arranging for his team’s return.
