South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and ordered an independent inquiry into explosive claims that high-ranking justice officials have been shielding criminal syndicates from prosecution.

In a nationally broadcast address on Sunday, Ramaphosa said the decision followed serious allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Lt. Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, who accused Mchunu of disbanding a key unit probing politically motivated assassinations.

Mkhwanazi claims the move was aimed at protecting politicians, prosecutors, and senior law enforcement officers allegedly linked to organized crime networks implicated in a string of high-profile killings.

Though Mchunu has rejected the accusations as baseless, pressure has been mounting on Ramaphosa to act swiftly, particularly as his multi-party government faces internal revolt.

The controversy has threatened to fracture the year-old coalition between the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s second-largest political party.

In his statement, Ramaphosa said the newly formed commission will investigate the extent to which criminal elements may have infiltrated the police, intelligence services, and the broader justice system. It will also examine whether top officials used their positions to facilitate or benefit from criminal activity.

The president’s move follows rising dissatisfaction from the DA, whose leaders recently accused Ramaphosa of double standards — punishing minor breaches by their party members while ignoring corruption allegations against ANC figures. Tensions reached boiling point last month when Ramaphosa fired a DA deputy minister for unauthorized foreign travel, prompting claims of bias and retaliation.

With the DA now threatening to block key budget votes involving ministries led by ANC officials under investigation, the government risks a potential shutdown, as the end-of-month fiscal deadline looms. Such a standoff could paralyze government operations and deepen the political crisis.

Analysts say the unfolding scandal marks one of the toughest challenges of Ramaphosa’s presidency, testing both his grip on power and the stability of the coalition he painstakingly assembled in hopes of reforming South Africa’s governance landscape.