KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
- SAPS extended Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s contract for five more years.
- It followed consultations with KZN Premier Thami Ntuli, to ensure stability and leadership in the crime-challenged province.
- On 6 July 2025, Mkhwanazi made explosive claims of the existence of a sophisticated criminal syndicate that had allegedly infiltrated law enforcement and intelligence structures.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) confirmed that KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s contract has been extended by a further five years.
SAPS confirmed on Saturday that the decision followed consultations with KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli.
National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola welcomed the move, saying Mkhwanazi was expected to continue providing “stability and decisive leadership in the province”.
Mkhwanazi returns to the role at a time when KwaZulu-Natal remains one of the country’s most challenging policing environments, with high levels of violent crime, including politically-linked killings and organised criminal activity.
This week, 12 senior and former SAPS officers were arrested in connection with an alleged irregular contract awarded to Medicare24 Tswane District, a company linked to Vusimusi “Cat” Matlala.
READ | Why national police commissioner Fannie Masemola will face charges tied to Cat Matlala
The arrests, carried out by the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), saw Matlala appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court.
On Saturday, IDAC rejected claims that the arrests were politically motivated or linked to testimony before the Madlanga Commission or Parliament’s ad hoc committee probing police capture.
IDAC spokesperson Henry Mamothame said the claims were irresponsible and reckless.
He rejected claims that it was targeting senior SAPS officials or acting on political instructions.
He said:
These claims are false and reckless. The matter was referred to the IDAC in 2024 by the SAPS Risk Audit Unit after suspicions of irregularities were identified.
“These false claims seek to pit law enforcement agencies against one another. South Africans expect a united front against crime,” Mamothame said.
He stressed that IDAC operated within legal frameworks and judicial oversight, saying: “The IDAC is not a law unto itself. There are systems in place to ensure compliance.”
READ| IDAC labels claims that senior cops targeted as ‘irresponsible’, ‘reckless’
Mamothame warned that misinformation risks undermining investigations.
“Such attacks have the potential to place officials and their loved ones at risk,” he said.
On 6 July 2025, Mkhwanazi made explosive claims of the existence and operation of a sophisticated criminal syndicate that had allegedly infiltrated law enforcement and intelligence structures in South Africa.
His allegations led to the establishment of Parliament’s ad hoc committee – which, among other things, investigated the veracity, extent and implications of the allegations, including any evidence of collusion between any State officials and criminal syndicates.