Bulelwa Hoala

- President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Gwede Mantashe as Acting Minister of Police, effective immediately.
- Mantashe will serve in this role until Professor Firoz Cachalia takes over in August after retiring from Wits University.
- Mantashe will continue his duties as Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources during the interim period.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the appointment of Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe as Acting Minister of Police with immediate effect.
In a statement released on Tuesday, 18 July 2025, Ramaphosa said Mantashe will be acting minister until the newly appointed Acting Minister of Police Prof Firoz Cachalia assumes his position at the start of August.
“Minister Mantashe will serve in this capacity until Prof Firoz Cachalia, who will retire from his position at the University of the Witwatersrand at the end of this month, assumes his position at the start of August,” the statement read.
According to Ramaphosa, Mantashe will retain his responsibilities as Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources during this period.
This comes after Ramaphosa named Professor Cachalia Acting Police Minister on Sunday,13 July 2025 after placing Police Minster Senzo Mchunu on special leave pending an inquiry into allegations levelled against him by KZN Police Minister Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
At a press conference on Sunday, 6 July 2025, Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of having links to criminal gangs and of interfering in police investigations into politically motivated murders.
Some of the key figures he implicated include alleged criminal and tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, Mchunu’s alleged associate Brown Motlala and Deputy Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya.
National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola confirmed on Tuesday,15 July that Sibiya has been placed on a leave of absence.



