Mon 14 July 2025:
Professor Firoz Cachalia, a respected legal mind and anti-corruption advocate, takes the political helm of the police service amid a national outcry over alleged rot within its ranks.
Professor Firoz Cachalia has been appointed as South Africa’s acting Minister of Police by President Cyril Ramaphosa, a move that follows explosive allegations of political interference and corruption that have rocked the nation’s law enforcement agencies. The appointment, effective from 1 August 2025, sees him take over from Senzo Mchunu, who has been placed on special leave at his own request.
Professor Firoz Cachalia | Image credit: Wits University.
The shake-up was prompted by damning testimony from KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who blew the whistle on alleged interference by Mchunu in sensitive investigations and claimed that criminal syndicates had infiltrated the police and judiciary. In response, President Ramaphosa announced the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry to probe these serious allegations.
Cachalia, a Wits University law professor and current chairperson of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council (NACAC), was reportedly informed of the appointment only an hour before the public announcement. “I feel humbled by the president’s request,” he told Sowetan, adding, “My responsibility is to step up to the plate and tackle the challenge of improving the safety of our people with as much vigour and strength as I can.”
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A Veteran of Law and Anti-Corruption
Professor Firoz Cachalia is no stranger to public service or the fight against graft. Born in Benoni, the 66-year-old was an anti-apartheid activist who later served in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature as Speaker and as MEC for both Community Safety and Economic Development.
His extensive legal and academic background is complemented by his recent work with Nacac, which, according to the Daily Maverick, submitted a detailed report to the President 14 months ago criticising the SAPS and its Crime Intelligence division for “internal dysfunction, political interference and poor leadership.”
This background positions him as a figure with deep insight into the very issues he is now tasked with addressing. As acting minister, it is expected that the insights from this unreleased report will inform his strategy to reform the police service.
His appointment has been met with mixed reactions. While some, like the Democratic Alliance, have cautiously welcomed the move, they also expressed cynicism about yet another commission, fearing it could become a “Zondo-style dead end” without tangible consequences. The DA has called for swift action and accountability, not just “talk shops.”
In a 2022 interview with Salaamedia regarding his role at NACAC, Cachalia underscored the urgency of the battle against graft, stating, “fighting corruption… has to be a priority for our country… to restore trust in our democratic institutions.” He spoke of the shame of seeing public officials “serve their own interests instead” of the people.
He also articulated a broad view of corruption that goes beyond criminal acts. “There are forms of corruption which are as damaging which are not criminally indictable,” he said, citing unethical behaviour like MPs abusing travel privileges or the “butipu system” of nepotism. For Cachalia, the fight requires strengthening ethical standards and accountability across the board.
Cachalia has consistently emphasised the need for public involvement. “The critical success factor is the public attitude,” he stated in the 2022 interview. “What we require is public activism. What we require is for our public to say emphatically no to corruption.”
As he prepares to take on one of the country’s most challenging portfolios, the nation will be watching to see if the appointment marks a genuine turning point in the fight against crime and corruption within the state.
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