Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi hailed as ‘a beacon of hope’ amid explosive corruption claims

KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has become the face of a growing anti-corruption movement after alleging that senior politicians and police leaders are entangled in a syndicate that obstructs justice in South Africa.

His accusations levelled at Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya during a bombshell media briefing on July 6 have reverberated across the country, triggering widespread political fallout and igniting unprecedented grassroots support.

Mkhwanazi claimed the minister and his deputy had deliberately disbanded the political killings task team in KwaZulu-Natal and ordered the concealment of sensitive case dockets implicating high-ranking figures in government, law enforcement, and the judiciary.

“The dockets were locked away, the unit was disbanded, and officers were targeted. This was not the work of the national commissioner. This was orchestrated by Minister Mchunu,” Mkhwanazi said.

The allegations have shaken public trust in government, but also rallied support for Mkhwanazi as a principled figure within the embattled South African Police Service (SAPS).

Humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers, through its founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, described Mkhwanazi as “a beacon of hope” and one of the few voices of integrity in the country’s crime-fighting apparatus.

“Leadership, bravery, courage, intelligence, pragmatism, fairness, and justice appear in the form of Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi,” said Sooliman.

“Here is a servant of the law who inspires his teams to be fearless, courageous, and decisive in confronting everything rotten to the core in our society.”

Gift of the Givers pledged full support to the commissioner, calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to grant him an audience on the allegations and to strengthen crime-fighting efforts by removing bureaucratic red tape and political interference.

“Given the current budgetary constraints, it is imperative that as patriotic citizens and corporates, we give our unrestricted support to Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi in the fight against crime, South Africa's number one enemy,” said Sooliman.

Community support for the commissioner has been widespread. On July 8, hundreds of residents in Gansbaai, Western Cape, marched to their local police station in solidarity with Mkhwanazi.

Police officers stood by as Land Party SA leader Gcobani Ndzongana delivered a fiery address to the crowd.

“We want to tell your superiors that you touch General Mkhwanazi, you touch us,” said Ndzongana. “General Mkhwanazi is us. He represents the cries of communities. The crimes in our communities are caused by corrupt politicians and police officers within the service.”

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Student Command also held a rally at Durban University of Technology, joined by EFF MPs Sihle Lonzi and Naledi Chirwa, voicing support for Mkhwanazi and calling for sweeping reforms in SAPS.

By Wednesday night, a petition calling for the protection of Mkhwanazi and the establishment of a Judicial Commission of Inquiry had garnered more than 10,500 signatures.

The petition also calls for structural reforms to protect SAPS officers who expose wrongdoing from retaliation.

National Commissioner General Fannie Masemola confirmed that security around Mkhwanazi had been increased following multiple threats. Asked whether disciplinary action would be taken against him, Masemola stated: “I am awaiting President Ramaphosa’s intervention,” and added that he had no intention of persecuting Mkhwanazi.

The unfolding saga has placed Mchunu and Sibiya under intense scrutiny, with political parties across the spectrum now demanding their suspension.

Mkhwanazi’s most serious claim is that a sophisticated crime network, with links to political killings, CIT heists, the construction mafia, and corrupt procurement networks, is being shielded by powerful interests within government and law enforcement.

In the words of Dr Sooliman: “Our greatest success in dealing with criminals will be determined through a united stand. The country does not belong to the government; it belongs to us all collectively, and we must defend it together.”

A back-a-buddy campaign titled “2 Cows for Lord Mkhwanazi” has raised R40,910.

As the national conversation shifts toward police integrity and accountability, all eyes are now on President Ramaphosa’s next move.

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