The Democratic Alliance DA and uMkhonto weSizwe MK Party have laid criminal charges against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.
Mchunu is under fire for allegedly lying to Parliament about his relationship with businessman Brown Mogotsi, who allegedly communicated internal South African Police Service SAPS information to corruption-accused businessman Vusimuzi Cat Matlala.
DA and MK Party lay criminal charges against Senzo MchunuDA member of Parliament Baxolile Nodada laid a charge of fraud against the Minister on Thursday 10 July at the Cape Town Central Police Station.
The DA will also submit a formal complaint to Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests, Nodada said. The Economic Freedom Fighters have filed a similar complaint.
In March, Mchunu told Parliaments portfolio committee on police that he did not know Mogotsi . However, in a statement this week, he revealed that he had in fact met him and knew him as a comrade and not an associate.
This reversal directly contradicts his earlier denial and raises grave concerns about whether he deliberately misled Parliament - a criminal act in terms of the Powers, Privileges and Immunities of Parliament and Provincial Legislatures Act, Nodada said.
The DA alleges that Mchunu committed fraud by knowingly making a false statement with the intent to mislead Parliament and violated the Powers and Privileges Act, which criminalises any attempt to mislead or obstruct Parliament or its committees.
It also accuses him of breaching the Parliamentary Code of Conduct, which demands honesty, integrity and transparency from all MPs.
The MK Party has similarly laid charges of obstructing and defeating the course of justice, abusing power, and engaging in a criminal conspiracy to undermine lawful investigations.
It further accuses Mchunu of illegally ordering the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team using intimidation.