EFF Accuses Acting Police Minister Cachalia of Interference in KZN Political Killings Probes
EFF Accuses Acting Police Minister Cachalia of Interference in KZN Political Killings Probes. The EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo said in a statement and has accused Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia of political interference, claiming he is attempting to derail investigations into political killings in KwaZulu-Natal.
EFF Fires Back at Cachalia’s Criticism of Docket Return
The Economic Freedom Fighters has launched a strong attack on Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia, accusing him of trying to block vital probes into political murders in KwaZulu-Natal. In a statement released by spokesperson Sinawo Thambo, the party claimed Cachalia’s actions show a “flawed understanding” of how commissions work in a democracy and could delay justice for victims’ families.
This comes after Cachalia voiced worries about a recent move to hand back 121 police dockets to the KZN Political Killings Task Team. These files were earlier taken over by Deputy Commissioner for Crime Detection, Shadrack Sibiya, amid claims of interference. Cachalia warned that shifting the dockets now might harm the ongoing Judicial Commission of Inquiry into political interference in the criminal justice system.
The EFF welcomed the return of the dockets, announced this week by National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola. They called it a key step to fix past blocks and get stalled cases moving again. “Masemola’s action was a necessary step to undo obstruction and allow stalled investigations to resume,” Thambo said. But the party slammed Cachalia for stepping in, saying a judicial inquiry cannot replace active police work. They labelled his appointment as “irregular” and unconstitutional, and accused him of protecting killers by slowing down the process.
Background on the Docket Controversy and Allegations
The 121 dockets cover high-profile cases, including murders of politicians, taxi bosses, and others linked to political fights in KZN. They were moved from the task team to Sibiya’s office earlier this year, sparking claims of meddling. KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has been outspoken, accusing former Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of directly interfering in the team’s efforts. This led to the setup of the judicial commission in July 2025.
Mkhwanazi went public in a media briefing, revealing concerns about a “sophisticated criminal syndicate” working inside the justice system. He said this group was blocking arrests and tampering with evidence in political killing cases. The commission, chaired by former Chief Justice Mogoeng Madlanga, is looking into criminality, political interference, and corruption arising from these claims. Its terms were gazetted on July 23, 2025, and rules published on August 22, 2025. But the inquiry has already faced setbacks, with delays in starting full hearings.
Masemola’s decision to return the files means the KZN task team can pick up where it left off. The team has been at the forefront of probing deaths like those of Deejays Sumbody and other figures tied to political rivalries. Reports suggest President Cyril Ramaphosa was angered by the move, seeing it as a possible undercut to the commission’s work.
Cachalia, acting in the role while the permanent minister is unavailable, argued that no changes to docket handling should happen until the commission finishes. He said this could weaken efforts to root out interference and ensure fair justice.
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