The Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) and the South African Communist Party (SACP) have urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to appoint an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the explosive allegations made by KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, while also expressing safety concerns for whistleblowers.
Fedusa said this inquiry must have a clearly defined mandate, timelines and the power to compel evidence, which it said was the only mechanism that could provide the public with clear answers and restore confidence in the leadership of the country’s law enforcement agencies.
During a media briefing over the weekend, Mkhwanazi made allegations of corruption, political interference, and malfeasance, specifically accusing Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of unilaterally disbanding the Political Killings Task Team and redirecting 121 active investigation dockets to the office of National Deputy Commissioner Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, where they had allegedly been neutralised.
Fedusa said the allegations could be treated as ordinary administrative concerns.
Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Lucky Mkhwanazi is a South African law enforcement official who is serving the KwaZulu Natal Province of South Africa as the Provincial Police Commissioner. Gen Mkhwanazi was born on February 5, 1973, in KwaZulu‑Natal, South Africa
A former South African Police Service (SAPS) Divisional Commissioner for Specialized Operational Response Services, former Head of Component and Commander of the elite police tactical unit of the South African Police Service, Special Task Force (STF) colloquially known as the ”Taakies” having qualified previously for the world renowned difficult selection and training process with the high attrition rate of 85% or more in some recruitment cycles. He served in the elite unit as a police special task force operator. A public figure known for his leadership roles in the South African Police Service (SAPS) gained national recognition for serving as the Acting National Police Commissioner.
EFF President, Julius Malema has also called for mass action if Mkhwanazi is politically attacked.
Meanwhile, O’Sullivan demands removal of KZN police commissioner Mkhwanazi amid explosive allegations
Renowned forensic consultant Paul O’Sullivan has called for the immediate removal of KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, accusing him of undermining the stability of South Africa’s police leadership.
Speaking during a live interview on Newzroom Afrika on Sunday, 6 July, O’Sullivan did not hold back, saying, “I want to see that man fall, the sooner the better.”
His comments come just hours after Mkhwanazi made explosive claims at a media briefing, accusing senior government officials of interfering with investigations into political killings.
Mkhwanazi alleged that Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Deputy National Commissioner Shadrack Sibiya were among those who disrupted the work of the Political Killings Task Team.
According to the commissioner, more than 120 case dockets were removed earlier this year, compromising investigations into politically linked murders in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. He claimed that high-profile suspects were being shielded from justice, suggesting that there was a coordinated effort to collapse the task team’s work.
O’Sullivan, known for his anti-corruption advocacy, questioned Mkhwanazi’s motives and criticised the manner in which he went public with his claims. He described the commissioner’s briefing in which Mkhwanazi wore Special Task Force fatigues and was flanked by armed officers as an alarming display, suggesting it could be interpreted as a threat to constitutional order.
While some viewers interpreted O’Sullivan’s remarks as accusing Mkhwanazi of plotting a coup, he did not directly make such a claim. However, he warned that the optics of the briefing raised red flags and warranted serious scrutiny.
The dramatic standoff between the two high-profile figures has added to growing public concern over instability within the SAPS.
Minister Mchunu has since dismissed the allegations as baseless and “irresponsible,” while President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office has acknowledged the matter as one of “grave national security concern.”