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Mkhwanazi vs Mchunu: KZN Police Boss Risks Fallout After Explosive Allegations

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2 months ago

July 8, 2025

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SAPS insiders brace for political fallout as police commissioner accuses senior officials of aiding criminal networks

KwaZulu-Natal’s top cop, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, is now walking a tightrope after making bombshell claims that may have triggered a full-blown internal crisis within the South African Police Service (SAPS).

Earlier this week, Mkhwanazi stunned the nation when he alleged in a live media briefing that a powerful crime syndicate, involving senior police officials, politicians, prosecutors, judges, and underworld figures, is operating with impunity. But what’s turning heads even more is who he named: Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, Deputy National Police Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya, and others who hold the keys to state security.

While the allegations have gripped the public, they’ve also raised serious questions about protocol, accountability, and political interference. Now, insiders say the commissioner may find himself the one being investigated.

‘Mkhwanazi Is in Trouble,’ Says Police Union Leader

Speaking to IOL, Mpho Kwinika, general secretary of the Independent Policing Union of South Africa (Ipusa), didn’t mince words: Mkhwanazi may be fighting a losing battle, unless he has hard evidence to back his claims.

“Look, Mkhwanazi is in trouble,” said Kwinika. “He must prove there is crime committed by those senior officials he has implicated, failing which the law is going to be against him.”

Kwinika explained that police protocol requires clearance before going public with internal matters. “Did he get permission from National Commissioner Fannie Masemola?” That question, Kwinika says, still needs answering — and could define the fallout.

If Mkhwanazi cannot provide actionable evidence or proof of criminal charges opened against those he named, he may face a departmental hearing or even a commission of inquiry. Some speculate that the commissioner may eventually be “let go” in a face-saving compromise for the presidency.

The Minister, the Drug Cartel, and a Dismantled Task Team

One of Mkhwanazi’s most serious claims is that Minister Mchunu used his power to shield a Gauteng-based crime syndicate member, who had been arrested for three attempted murders.

Even more damning: Mkhwanazi alleged that Mchunu’s disbanding of the SAPS political killings unit was not a routine restructuring but a move to derail the dismantling of a drug cartel in Gauteng.

The unit, previously hailed for its breakthroughs in high-profile political assassination cases, was said to be functioning effectively, until its abrupt shutdown, allegedly at Mchunu’s instruction, not that of General Masemola.

Presidency Under Pressure: Will Ramaphosa Act?

With ministers and generals now implicated, President Cyril Ramaphosa is under growing pressure to act, but it won’t be easy.

“The president is going to read the riot act,” warned Kwinika. “If Mkhwanazi and Masemola are clashing like this, someone is going to be shown the door.”

But firing Mchunu, a Ramaphosa appointee, could be politically risky. Kwinika notes that unless there’s irrefutable evidence against the minister, removing him could backfire and open the president to political attacks, especially from rival factions eager to exploit internal fractures in the ruling party.

A SAPS Divided and the Morale Question

Beyond the headlines, the SAPS now faces an internal morale crisis. Kwinika warned that such public spats among senior officials are highly unusual and corrosive.

“In the SAPS, members are warned not to get involved in public disputes, even off duty. This situation is foreign and dangerous.”

The public airing of internal battles not only undermines public trust, but risks splintering SAPS discipline and command. For ordinary officers on the ground, the message is mixed: Who do you follow when generals go to war?

Corruption or Political Score-Settling?

The truth behind Mkhwanazi’s claims could be one of South Africa’s most important stories in years — or it could unravel into yet another high-profile power struggle with no convictions, no resignations, and no reform.

What South Africans need now is transparency, evidence, and urgency. If the allegations are true, lives may be at risk and justice has already been compromised. If not, then the damage to SAPS credibility and cohesion may take years to undo.