Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi will remain KwaZulu‑Natal’s provincial police commissioner for another five years.
Image: Thobile Mathonsi / Independent Newspapers
National Police Commissioner General Fanie Masemola has confirmed that KZN provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkwanazi, will remain as the police boss in the province for a further five-year term, with final details of the contract extension currently being finalised.
“Well, I approved him to check whether he will serve further, and in terms of the law, I must also consult with the Premier, which I did,” Masemola told an ad hoc parliamentary committee on Tuesday.
The committee was established to examine allegations against the South African Police Service (SAPS).
“He is prepared to serve. We are finalising, of course, the final details and the how part. That’s as far as I can go,” he added.
Masemola was responding to a question from Economic Freedom Fighters MP and committee member Leigh-Ann Mathys.
She asked whether there were plans regarding Mkhwanazi’s contract, which is due to end on March 31.
Earlier in January, KwaZulu‑Natal Premier Thami Ntuli confirmed his support for Mkhwanazi’s contract renewal. The provincial government said the matter had been discussed with Masemola.
Ntuli emphasised the importance of stable and effective leadership in tackling the province’s ongoing crime challenges.
“The Premier reaffirmed the provincial government’s full support for the renewal of Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi’s contract and its continued commitment to working closely with SAPS and national law enforcement structures to ensure safer communities, effective crime prevention, and the protection of all residents of KwaZulu‑Natal,” a statement said at the time.
The Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster also confirmed the extension on social media, announcing that Mkhwanazi’s term as provincial police commissioner will be extended by another five years.
Mkhwanazi, who has led policing in KwaZulu‑Natal for several years, has been a controversial yet influential figure in South Africa’s law enforcement circles.
His tenure has coincided with high-profile actions and public interventions that have shaped the national conversation around crime, corruption, and institutional integrity.
In mid-2025, Mkhwanazi made headlines nationwide when he held a media briefing alleging deep political interference and corruption within SAPS and the broader criminal justice system.
He claimed the Political Killings Task Team, established to investigate politically motivated murders, had been disbanded, and that more than 120 active case files were removed from provincial oversight, allegedly to protect politically connected individuals and syndicates.
Mkhwanazi argued that powerful interests within law enforcement and political structures were undermining investigations into serious crimes, including high-profile killings and organised syndicate activity.
His revelations led to an urgent national response, including the establishment of parliamentary inquiries and a judicial commission, known as the Madlanga Commission, to probe allegations of corruption and interference within the police service and the broader criminal justice system.
Both are investigating the explosive claims made by Mkhwanazi.
The committee continues.
simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za
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