READ: Ramaphosa Slams KZN Police Commissioner’s Allegations as Threat to National Security, Urges Discipline

Durban, South Africa – On July 6, 2025, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi held a high-stakes media briefing at the KZN Police Headquarters in Durban, leveling serious allegations against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and senior South African Police Service (SAPS) officials. The claims, which include accusations of political interference and protection of a powerful criminal syndicate, have triggered widespread concern, prompting a response from President Cyril Ramaphosa and igniting calls for urgent investigations.

During the briefing, Mkhwanazi accused Mchunu of undermining critical crime-fighting efforts by ordering the disbandment of the Political Killings Task Team, a unit established in 2018 to address politically motivated violence. He alleged that on December 31, 2024, Mchunu directed the team’s dissolution and the suspension of key Crime Intelligence appointments without consulting National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola or himself. By March 26, 2025, 121 case dockets, including five with instructions for arrests, were transferred from the task team to SAPS headquarters in Pretoria, where they have reportedly remained uninvestigated.

Mkhwanazi linked the task team’s disbandment to its successful investigation in Gauteng, where 10 team members assisted the Hawks in uncovering a syndicate allegedly involving politicians, SAPS officers, metro police, correctional officials, prosecutors, and judiciary members, all tied to a drug cartel operating in Gauteng and KZN. The investigation began after the April 2024 murder of a Q-Tech employee in Gauteng, leading to the seizure of an AK-47 and a pistol. Ballistic tests connected these weapons to unsolved murders of prominent South African artists since 2021. Mkhwanazi presented evidence, including WhatsApp messages and documents, implicating Mchunu’s associate, Mr. Brown Mogotsi, and businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, who secured a R360 million SAPS contract in 2024, in efforts to derail the investigation.

Mkhwanazi further alleged that Mogotsi leaked classified police documents, including a Crime Intelligence presentation, and communicated with Matlala about the task team’s dissolution. One message, dated January 1, 2025, reportedly stated, “The task team that came to your house and harassed you have been dissolved.” Mkhwanazi also accused Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, of stalling investigations on Mchunu’s orders. Despite the disbandment directive, Mkhwanazi insisted the task team remains operational under the National Commissioner’s authority.

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu rejected the allegations as “baseless” and “wild,” with his spokesperson, Kamogelo Mogotsi, stating that the minister would not allow his integrity or that of SAPS to be undermined. Mchunu’s office announced that Mkhwanazi’s statements would be reviewed, and appropriate action would be considered. Sibiya also denied the claims, accusing Mkhwanazi of defying orders and stalling high-profile investigations, including the murder of rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes. Sibiya claimed he personally intervened to ensure arrests in the AKA case.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, responding from the BRICS Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, described the situation as a “matter of grave national security concern” receiving the “highest priority attention.” He called for discipline and restraint, warning that the “trading of accusations and counter-accusations threatens to undermine public confidence and sow confusion” and damages police unity. Ramaphosa promised to outline actions upon his return to South Africa.

The allegations have sparked significant reactions. ANC Youth League President Collen Malatji criticized Mkhwanazi for making public statements, urging him to arrest those involved rather than seeking publicity. The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) condemned the situation as evidence of “state capture within SAPS” and called for a parliamentary investigation. Ian Cameron, Chairperson of Parliament’s Police Portfolio Committee, wrote to the Speaker of the National Assembly, requesting an urgent debate on the claims. Forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan denounced Mkhwanazi, calling for his suspension and questioning his use of SAPS Special Task Force imagery during the briefing.

Criminologist Professor Nirmala Gopal from the University of KwaZulu-Natal noted that the allegations give credence to long-held suspicions of high-level corruption within SAPS, warning that they erode public trust. Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast from Nelson Mandela University emphasized the need for a thorough investigation, suggesting that political considerations might influence the outcome.

The controversy was further intensified when SAPS deleted a tweet announcing Mkhwanazi’s briefing, raising questions about internal pressures. Mkhwanazi has registered a criminal case against Mchunu, and the MK Party has called for charges against Mchunu and Sibiya for defeating the ends of justice.

As South Africa grapples with rising crime, this unfolding scandal has heightened concerns about the integrity of its law enforcement institutions. The nation awaits President Ramaphosa’s promised actions and the outcome of anticipated investigations.