South Africa: Mkhwanazi Takes the Hot Seat First in Police Scandal

20 August 2025
Scrolla (Johannesburg)
By Dylan Bettencourt
  • Parliament's ad hoc committee confirmed Mkhwanazi will open proceedings, with hearings starting in Johannesburg before moving to Cape Town.
  • Judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga's separate commission will begin in Pretoria on 1 September, focusing on corruption in police and state security agencies.

KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi will be the first person to testify in Parliament's inquiry into corruption and political interference in the police.

The ad hoc committee confirmed that Mkhwanazi will open proceedings when its hearings begin in Johannesburg, before continuing in Cape Town after Parliament's recess.

Committee chairperson Molapi Lekganyane said members agreed that Mkhwanazi would be called first, given the seriousness of his allegations. Witnesses will be required to submit sworn statements, and the committee will bring in external legal experts to assist.

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This parliamentary inquiry runs separately from the high-profile judicial commission of inquiry, led by former Constitutional Court judge Mbuyiseli Madlanga. That inquiry will begin on 1 September at the Bridgette Mabandla Justice College in Pretoria.

The judicial commission has been tasked with investigating criminality, corruption and political interference within the South African Police Service, the National Prosecuting Authority and the State Security Agency.

It has the power to summon witnesses and demand evidence. A preliminary report is expected within three months, with the final report due in six months, though the timeline could be extended.

The inquiry was established after Mkhwanazi made claims against senior political figures, including police minister Senzo Mchunu, who is currently on special leave.

Mkhwanazi has also raised concerns about the Umzinyathi District in KwaZulu-Natal, which he described as a breeding ground for hitmen and organised crime.

Both the parliamentary committee and the judicial commission are under pressure to deliver answers. Ramaphosa has said the judicial inquiry should not last longer than a year.

Read the original article on Scrolla.

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