Firoz Cachalia

Firoz Cachalia (born 22 July 1958) is a South African lawyer and politician who is the current acting Minister of Police. He previously served as a Member of the Gauteng Executive Council from 2004 to 2010. Formerly an anti-apartheid activist in the Transvaal, he first joined the Gauteng Provincial Legislature in 1994, representing the African National Congress, and he served as Speaker of the provincial legislature from 1999 to 2004. After he left the provincial government he was appointed as a law professor at Wits University and, from 2022, as the chairperson of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council.

Early life and education Cachalia was born on 22 July 1958 in Benoni in the former Transvaal, now part of Gauteng province. His brother is Azhar Cachalia, an activist and judge. In the late 1970s and 1980s, Cachalia was active in anti-apartheid student politics at Wits University; he was detained several times and banned under the Internal Security Act. He also joined the United Democratic Front. In the legislature he represented the African National Congress; he was also a member of the South African Communist Party. He retained that portfolio until the 2009 general election, throughout Shilowa's second term and the brief tenure of Shilowa's successor, Paul Mashatile. From May 2009, under newly elected Premier Nomvula Mokonyane, Cachalia was MEC for Economic Development, a newly created portfolio. However, he was fired from the Executive Council in a cabinet reshuffle announced by Mokonyane on 2 November 2010.

On 13 July 2025, he was appointed as the national Minister of Police, replacing Senzo Mchunu, in an acting capacity.

Academic career Following his time in provincial government, Cachalia subsequently became a professor at the Wits University School of Law. In September 2022, Cachalia began a three-year term as chairperson of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council, a body newly created by Zuma's successor, President Cyril Ramaphosa, to prevent and eradicate corruption and state capture, including by guiding the government's response to the findings of the Zondo Commission. He also served until December 2022 as a member of the National Executive Committee of his political party, the ANC; he was co-opted onto the body in October 2019.

Civil society appointments Cachalia has served in various positions in civil society organisations. He is chairperson of the Trust of former president Kgalema Motlanthe. He served on the board of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and the board of Corruption Watch from 2018 to 2023.

Concerns have been expressed about some of his associates at these civil society organisations. Cachalia's fellow trustee at the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation, Maurizio Mariano, was named as a potential witness to an attempt to solicit a bribe by convicted advocate Seth Nthai. However, days before Cachalia was appointed police minister the State settled with Nthai meaning that the allegation against Mariano was never tested. Cachalia has never commented on the matter.