KZN Police Chief Mkhwanazi Claims Police Minister Is Interfering in Investigations
Johannesburg – Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, has made grave allegations against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, accusing him of meddling in crucial crime investigations.
During a significant press conference on Sunday, July 6, 2025, Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi, dressed in military attire and flanked by armed police officers, discussed the minister’s alleged interference in detail.
The crux of the controversy involves the disbandment of the “political killings task team,” which Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi asserts was designed to hinder investigations into drug lords in Gauteng.
In 2018, President Ramaphosa established the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) featuring the Police Minister, the Minister of State Security, the Minister of Defence, and the Minister of Justice.
This IMC instigated the creation of the police “political killings task team,” which is currently looking into 612 case dockets involving murders, attempted murders, conspiracy to murder, intimidation, and other crimes.
General Mkhwanazi shared the following updates on crime-fighting efforts:
- 436 suspects arrested and charged
- 156 firearms confiscated, with 55 linked through ballistic testing to politically related cases
- Additionally, 35 police officers among the suspects have been arrested.
- 128 defendants convicted in 106 cases, with at least 29 receiving life sentences
Despite these successes, Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi indicated that on March 26 of this year, 121 case dockets were removed from the task team by Deputy National Commissioner of Crime Detection, Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, purportedly at the insistence of Minister Mchunu.
Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi claimed that these cases remain unexamined with General Sibiya.
He noted that at least five of the dockets were prepared for arrests before being reassigned to General Sibiya, yet no arrests were made afterward.
Currently, only 112 cases—including the murders at the University of Fort Hare and the killing of traditional leaders in KwaZulu-Natal—are under investigation by the task team.
General Mkhwanazi stated he deployed 10 members of the task team to assist their Gauteng counterparts in tackling serious crimes associated with the murder of 30-year-old engineer, Armard Swart, an employee at Q Tech Engineering Company in Vereeniging.
Swart was shot dead on April 17, 2024, while sitting in his vehicle outside his workplace by two suspects in a white Hyundai i20.
He revealed that this joint unit discovered a syndicate involving MPs, corrupt police officers, and prosecutors in Gauteng, allegedly run by a drug cartel.
Two drug lords have been apprehended as a result.
General Mkhwanazi disclosed that investigations into the cellphone communications of the arrested suspects suggest a possible plan to obstruct law enforcement operations.
One case refers to recovered cellphone messages that purportedly reveal a link between businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala—recently arrested for murder—and Mr. Brown Mogotsi, an associate of Minister Mchunu.
In light of the allegations, Police Portfolio Committee Chairperson MP Ian Cameron stated that he has contacted the Speaker of the National Assembly, requesting an urgent parliamentary debate regarding the concerning accusations about SAPS leadership.
“Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi has alleged that Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya hindered justice, delayed investigations into political murders and organized crime, and safeguarded politically connected suspects by taking control of more than 120 sensitive dockets,” noted MP Cameron.
“Further assertions implicate the Minister of Police, hinting at connections with controversial figures like Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, who faces serious charges yet seems to enjoy political protection, profiting from lucrative SAPS contracts.
“Moreover, it’s alleged that the Minister dissolved the specialized political killings task team, postponed important Crime Intelligence appointments, and interfered in ongoing investigations, thus compromising SAPS’s ability to effectively combat organized crime.”
Cameron emphasized the need for Parliament and the Presidency to ensure an impartial and thorough investigation into these claims to restore public confidence and demonstrate accountability.
“South Africans deserve clear answers,” he asserted.
In a statement to The Bulrushes, Police Minister Mchunu refuted the allegations of interference made by Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi, calling them “unfounded.”
The minister acknowledged being “informed about today’s media briefing conducted by the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, during which various outrageous claims were presented.”
He asserted that he “would never allow” his integrity, that of the Ministry, or SAPS to be “compromised by insinuations made without evidence or due process, including those made by Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi.”
Minister Mchunu added: “We will review the Provincial Commissioner’s statements and consider suitable actions.
“All these public declarations necessitate an urgent, comprehensive, and transparent investigation on a fitting platform.”
The Minister reiterated his commitment to uphold the rule of law, ensure accountability within SAPS, and serve the South African public with integrity.
Previously, the police minister faced accusations of targeting the KZN top cop, which he denied.
At that time, Minister Mchunu clarified that he was not the source of a complaint against Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi, asserting that Mkhwanazi obstructed the arrest of an alleged corrupt prison official.