Police Minister Senzo Mchunu has cost South African taxpayers R8.89 million since President Cyril Ramaphosa placed him on leave in July 2025.
The figure was made public by Ian Cameron, who chairs Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Police. He said it covers Mchunu’s legal fees and the salaries paid while he has been away from work.
“Taxpayers have paid R2.7 million for Senzo Mchunu’s lawyers. That comes on top of R3.16 million in remuneration for Mchunu while on special leave,” Cameron said.
According to Cameron, taxpayers also paid another R3.02 million in salary to the acting Police Minister, who took over Mchunu’s role.
Cameron had asked acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia in Parliament whether the state pays Mchunu’s legal fees.
Cachalia confirmed that it does. He said the state funds Mchunu’s lawyers under the state legal representation policy.
That policy offers legal help to state employees, judges and members of the executive. It covers acts done in the course of their work or official duties.
“Accordingly, legal representation is being provided to Mchunu in accordance with the applicable provisions of the policy,” Cachalia said.
Cachalia said the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development pays these legal costs. He said R2.7 million has been paid so far.
Cameron also asked how much money has been approved or set aside for Mchunu’s ongoing legal case. Cachalia said that amount still depends on administrative, legal and financial processes.
“The South African Police Service is currently not in possession of such amounts,” Cachalia said.
Cameron said the full bill may be higher. “The salary figures only run to August 2026, and the latest parliamentary reply still does not disclose how much more legal funding has been approved or committed,” he said.
He said the money spent because of the allegations against Mchunu could have gone towards protecting South Africans from crime.
He gave an example from an oversight visit he made in May. “Khayelitsha’s Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit had 21 officials against an identified ideal of 43,” he said.
Cameron called the cost of running two ministerial pay packages for one portfolio a reckless use of public money. “Citing policy does not make it responsible,” he said.
He said the president has another option. “President Ramaphosa could relieve Mchunu of his Cabinet post while he remains an MP. Any entitlement to legal representation is a separate issue,” Cameron said.
Cameron called on the president to act. “Ramaphosa must end this arrangement. Police and Justice must disclose the full bill and the limits on further legal spending,” he said.
Source: this article is based on reporting by newsday.co.za. Image: newsday.co.za. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice News desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Kgomotso Maake covers news and politics for Tzaneen Voice. Kgomotso reports on government, Parliament, municipalities, courts, crime and service delivery across South Africa, with a close eye on how national decisions reach towns like Tzaneen and the wider Limpopo province. Stories are written in plain English and focus on the facts: who made the decision, what it means, and what happens next.