Deputy Minister of Police Dr Paulina Boshielo did not hold back when addressing questions around the internal leadership dynamics within SAPS during her recent parliamentary appearance.
She expressed concerns about a toxic and fractured leadership environment that was hampering the effectiveness of the police service.
Boshielo made the revelation on Tuesday during her testimony before the Ad Hoc Committee on Political Interference in Police.
The committee, established on October 7 amid growing concerns about infiltration and factionalism within the justice system, followed allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Among other things, Mkhwanazi alleged that suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu had ordered the disbandment of the politically sensitive Political Killings Task Team (PKTT).
Responding to MK party MP Sibonelo Nomvalo’s question about the institutional climate, Boshielo acknowledged there are divisions within the SAPS.
“You are right, you walk into an organisation and see that there is a problem.”
She described a strained relationship between Mchunu and National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola.
“We met on some occasion as two deputy ministers, the Minister Mchunu, and National Commissioner, and raised the concern that they were ‘not talking as much as they should.’”
“We asked them to meet with each other and sort out their differences so that they could work together. Unfortunately, the problems persisted.”
According to Boshielo, the primary source of tension is centred on communication protocols.
She noted that the minister and the commissioner primarily communicated through letters, rather than engaging in face-to-face discussions.
Boshielo also referred to the July 6 public statement made by General Mkhwanazi, who raised concerns questioning internal working relationships within the SAPS.
She expressed surprise, stating, “I was very surprised because I worked well with the National Commissioner and senior management… If there were issues, they were never raised in meetings.”
The Deputy Minister criticised the apparent breakdown in trust and respect at senior levels, arguing that unresolved conflicts weaken the SAPS’s ability to combat crime and corruption.
“When leaders don’t trust or respect each other, it affects everyone below,” she concluded.
Her testimony underscored the urgent need for effective, transparent executive leadership and institutional reforms to transform SAPS into a capable, ethical, and democratic police force.
Politics
