In what is being described as an unprecedented moment for South Africa’s criminal justice system, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, is set to be the first witness before the Mandlanga Commission of Inquiry today.
The commission was established to investigate grave allegations of systemic interference in the country’s criminal justice system, a probe triggered by a bombshell media briefing delivered by Mkhwanazi himself in July.
During that conference, the Commissioner made damning allegations that politicians and senior police officials had active links to criminal syndicates. His testimony is highly anticipated, as he is expected to provide detailed evidence to support these claims.
This is not the first time Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi has leveled accusations at the highest levels of government. The transcript reveals that on December 1, 2021, he testified before the Human Rights Commission’s hearing into the July unrest. At that time, he was under fire from government officials who accused him of being uncooperative during the height of the riots.
In a bold countermove, Mkhwanazi accused the former Minister of Defense and Military Veterans, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, of lying under oath to that commission. This act was described by those who work closely with him as “testament to his character as a police officer.”
Mkhwanazi is a seasoned officer with a decades-long career. He joined the South African Police Service (SAPS) in 1993 and rose through the ranks, being promoted to lieutenant general in 2011. His distinguished service includes leading the elite Special Task Force—a unit ranked among the best SWAT teams in the world—and serving as the divisional commissioner of human resource development.
He was appointed acting national commissioner by then-President Jacob Zuma in 2011. In May 2018, he was tasked with leading the police in KwaZulu-Natal, a province then grappling with a severe crime surge and a wave of political killings. His efforts led to the establishment of a special task team to investigate politically motivated murders.
His work in cracking down on violent crime syndicates and reducing crime rates in hotspots has been widely praised. A significant part of his investigation involved the mysterious removal of 121 case files from the province to Pretoria, which have since been returned.
According to analysts like Professor Bheki Mngomezulu, Mkhwanazi’s decision to make such explosive allegations is consistent with his principled track record. “When he was acting police commissioner, he did a sterling job… talking truth to power and not bowing to any intimidation as long as he was operating within the confines of the law,” Professor Gomez stated. “His decision to convene a media briefing and to make the explosive salvos was informed by his track record as someone who’s principled, levelheaded, and acts ethically.”
As Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi prepares to give evidence, those who know him say this is not an act of defiance but one of duty. For the man behind the badge, his appearance at the Mandlanga Commission is seen as simply standing for what he believes in: the truth. The nation will be watching as he begins his testimony.