KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has got a new role, but it is not acting national police commissioner as some have called for.
Current National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola is still in office, but was last month charged by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for his alleged involvement in a R360 million South African Police Service (Saps) health services tender awarded to criminally accused businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala. The charges have led some to demand that President Cyril Ramaphosa suspend him while the court case unfolds.
There have long been calls for Mkhwanazi to take over as Commissioner when Masemola’s term ends next year, but these were ramped up, and the timeline moved closer, amid Masemola’s legal woes.
A new role for Mkhwanazi
Instead, Mkhwanazi has been given the role of leading a national project against organised crime.
“I’m still a provincial commissioner in the province. Literally, [this new role] means I will have to do an oversight role in fighting organised crime while having the responsibility of the province,” he told broadcaster eNCA on Friday.
Part of his responsibilities will be to capture the reported “Big Five” cartel that allegedly “plan to take over government”.
“The Big Five has already been identified. It was not just a syndicate that was dealing with normal criminality or selling things because they wanted to make money out of it. But this was a group whose plan was to take over the government.
“That’s why we had to stand up and say this cannot be allowed when South Africans have a constitutional right to vote for their leaders, and on this side we have people that have got money that are now controlling politicians, and they are trying to control law enforcement using law enforcement”.
But why not acting police commissioner?
While many have welcomed the move, others claim the outspoken Mkhwanazi should have instead been given the national police commissioner’s role while Masemola sits on the sidelines.
Among these was former EFF MP Mbuyiseni Ndlozi, who believes the move was made to “mislead” the public.
“Make Gen. Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi Acting Police Commissioner, not some undefined “national crime fighting head”. You want to mislead us! Don’t Neutralise us!” he said on Friday.
Last month Ndlozi told his followers on X that Mkhwanazi needed to be protected, amid criticism from EFF leader Julius Malema.
“Hands Off General Mkhwanazi!
“A society that doesn’t protect whistleblowers is doomed to become a mafia state! They have already killed Babita. What do you think they will do to Mkhwanazi? He must be shielded from all petty, egotistical, pompous and parasitic attacks!
“All who try to reduce his mission to ‘personality fight’, or even factions within the SA Police Service (Saps) are all wrong. Journalists, politicians & many experts have been peddling this line. What this line seeks to do is to neutralise the correct momentum against Saps [officials] who have protected, advanced and benefitted from organised criminals with the endorsement of top politicians.”
He said Mkhwanazi’s mission was to “expose criminals that are embedded with top politicians and top generals” and warned that if he fails, the country will become ungovernable.
“If Mkhwanazi doesn’t win this battle, which is a people’s battle, then ours will become a banana republic, a mafia state ruled by men with guns!
“Society must defend itself!” he added.
