Police have seized electronic devices from suspended Police Minister Senzo Mchunu’s private family home in KwaZulu-Natal, marking the second time law enforcement has taken communication devices from him as part of an ongoing investigation.
The operation took place on Monday, 21 September 2026, after police officials arrived at the residence with a search-and-seizure warrant issued by the Johannesburg High Court.
Mchunu’s spokesperson, Sthembiso Mshengu, confirmed the operation in a statement released on Tuesday. According to the statement, the warrant identified cellular devices by specific International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers.
Mchunu hands over handset
Mshengu said Mchunu complied with the court order and handed over the requested device while his attorney was present.
“As a law-abiding citizen and in the presence of his Attorney, Minister Mchunu handed over the handset in line with the directive of the court,” Mshengu said in the statement.
The statement also stressed that this was not the first time authorities had taken Mchunu’s communication devices.
“It must be noted that this is the second time the police have seized these communication tools without having returned the first set,” Mshengu said.
Mchunu’s office did not disclose what information investigators are looking for on the latest device or provide details of the evidence contained in the warrant.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the execution of a search-and-seizure warrant is part of the investigative process.
“The search and seizure is a normal investigative process in which police convince the court to grant them the warrant to search and seize particular items as mentioned in the application for the warrant,” Netshiunda said.
He confirmed that the investigation involves cases of defeating the ends of justice and fraud, among other charges, which were opened at Durban Central police station in 2025.
Why is Mchunu under investigation?
The latest search comes against the backdrop of a much wider police crisis that has kept Mchunu under scrutiny since 2025.
In July last year, KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi made serious allegations about political interference in policing and alleged links between people in positions of power and criminal networks.
Among the allegations was that Mchunu had played a role in the disbandment of the KwaZulu-Natal Political Killings Task Team (PKTT), a specialised unit investigating politically motivated killings in the province.
President Cyril Ramaphosa subsequently placed Mchunu on leave of absence and established the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry to investigate allegations concerning the alleged infiltration of law enforcement and other criminal justice institutions by criminal syndicates.
Mchunu has denied allegations of criminal wrongdoing.
He was appointed Minister of Police in June 2024, after previously serving as KwaZulu-Natal premier. His period as police minister was cut short when Ramaphosa placed him on leave in July 2025 as the allegations were investigated.
The first seizure of Mchunu’s devices
The latest operation follows an earlier search-and-seizure process in 2025.
In November 2025, Mchunu handed over electronic devices to police in connection with an investigation. At the time, authorities seized his cellphone, tablet, government-issued laptop and other phones.
The investigation was understood to relate to a case of defeating the ends of justice opened by Mkhwanazi. Mchunu’s spokesperson confirmed at the time that the minister had cooperated with the search-and-seizure warrant.
There had also been an earlier attempt to execute a warrant at Mchunu’s official residence in October 2025. His legal representatives subsequently challenged aspects of the process and accused police of intimidation and defamation.
Mshengu’s latest statement therefore raises a separate issue over the status of the devices taken during the earlier operation, saying they had not been returned when police arrived for the latest seizure.
Madlanga Commission keeps Mchunu in the spotlight
Mchunu’s name has remained central to the broader investigation into allegations surrounding the South African Police Service and political interference.
The Madlanga Commission has heard evidence involving senior police officials, politicians and alleged criminal networks. In August 2026, for example, the commission heard evidence concerning an Inspector-General of Intelligence report that was allegedly obtained and circulated through arrangements involving Mchunu.
However, the allegations heard by the commission should not be treated as findings of criminal guilt.
Parliament’s ad hoc committee, which separately investigated allegations arising from Mkhwanazi’s claims, reported in July 2026 that it had found no evidence establishing criminality by Mchunu, while identifying unresolved governance and integrity concerns around his conduct, including his December 2024 directive concerning the PKTT.
The distinction is significant because several investigations and proceedings have been taking place at the same time, with different mandates and evidentiary processes.
What happens next?
The latest seizure does not, by itself, mean that Mchunu has been charged or found guilty of an offence.
Police have confirmed that the devices were seized as part of an ongoing investigation involving allegations including defeating the ends of justice and fraud. The precise contents of the warrant and the evidence investigators are seeking from the handset have not been publicly disclosed.
Mchunu’s spokesperson said the minister intends to address the latest development, as well as other matters surrounding his name, in the coming weeks.
“Minister Mchunu will address these developments and many other matters that evolve around his name in the coming weeks,” Mshengu said.
The second seizure places renewed attention on the investigations surrounding the suspended minister, particularly as the broader questions about political interference, the disbandment of the PKTT and alleged criminal infiltration of law enforcement continue to be examined through separate processes.
