Cape Town — KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has indicated that he plans to take a break after his term ends, suggesting internal tensions.
Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, Mkhwanazi claimed he had been the target of smear campaigns aimed at damaging his reputation, TimesLIVE reported.
He recounted receiving a call from a man who identified himself as a close associate of Police Minister Bheki Cele. According to Mkhwanazi, the caller mentioned that Cele was set to join Minister Senzo Mchunu on a visit to the site of the Lusikisiki massacre last year.
“I received a phone call and the message that came from a gentlemen who said he is a close associate of the Minister of Police, Mr Brown,” he said, adding that he was told Mr Brown was joining Mchunu to visit the site of the Lusikisiki massacre last year.
Mkhwanazi said he was taken aback by the call and sought to verify its authenticity. His concerns grew when he was informed of an alleged internal effort to discredit him.
He further alleged that reports had been circulated accusing him of blocking the arrest of a senior officer.
“This person appears to be very close to the minister of police and was travelling with him to Lusikisiki. I believe an investigation will determine whether he indeed travelled with the minister. Through this investigation, we will be able to establish the communication between this gentleman and the minister,” Mkhwanazi said.
He also dismissed speculation that he was being considered for a senior position at the Hawks, stating that he was never in the running for the role. Mkhwanazi emphasized that, as the longest-serving general in the South African Police Service (SAPS), there were no further promotions available to him beyond his current position.
“I will never submit my application for the post. I remain here to see to it that my contract is done — a contract that’s got a year to go. I’ll do my job and from there go home and relax,” Mkhwanazi said.
Minister Mchunu, meanwhile, defended the claims by Mkhwanazi and said he was made aware of the claims that someone was going around claiming to be associated with him.
Allegations of corruption and abuse of power
“We must be very circumspect when people come to us and say ‘I’m an associate of this and that. ‘ I’m not associated with the person that General Mkhwanazi is referring to, but I appreciate whatever they discussed and those things coming out so that I understand who is saying what and where,” he said.
This marks the second time this year that allegations have been levelled against Mkhwanazi after there were attempts of character assassination and tarnished reputation.
In January, KwaZulu-Natal police dismissed allegations of corruption and abuse of power against Mkhwanazi as baseless and malicious.
The allegations, including claims of interfering in the arrest of a senior correctional services official involved in a drug cartel, had circulated via WhatsApp messages, reports said.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda described the accusations as a smear campaign aimed at destabilising the police force and undermining its recent successes in combating organised crime.
He challenged anyone with credible evidence against Mkhwanazi to open a formal case rather than resorting to public character assassination.
“These poorly plotted allegations, whose aim is to create enmity between Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi and his seniors as well as colleagues in the province, will never hold any water.
“Police in the province will keep on tightening the grip on criminals and in a true meaning of ‘kicking the dog until the owner comes out’, those implicated or affected by the good work that the police are doing will eventually reveal their identities and will stop at nothing to derail the focus of police in KwaZulu-Natal, and their first point of attack is clearly character assassination of the Provincial Commissioner,” Netshiunda said in a statement at the time.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: X/@Ms_ViVaCi0us
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Matthew Petersen
