As 6 July marks the first anniversary of KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s media briefing alleging criminal infiltration of South Africa’s justice system, questions remain over whether high-level officials will be held accountable.
The factional battles have become increasingly apparent.
Recently, Mkhwanazi said the South African Police Service (SAPS) was “at war” and warned that “blood will flow” after the execution of arrest warrants for crime intelligence head Dumisani Khumalo and Major General Nozipho Madondo was halted before the 30 June anti-immigration protests.
“We are facing a war and there are many players in this game,” Mkhwanazi said, outside Brooklyn police station in Johannesburg after travelling overnight from KwaZulu-Natal to where Khumalo and Madondo were summoned.
Andrea Johnson, the head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac), has denied allegations that the planned arrests were retaliatory and criticised Mkhwanazi for making “irresponsible” remarks that put her staff at risk.
Appearing before parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating Mkhwanazi's allegations, Johnson also rejected claims that there were “rogue elements” in Idac.
She said she intended to meet the KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner to discuss the matter.
Mkhwanazi first laid out his claims before the Madlanga Commission in September and at the ad hoc committee in October when he singled out suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu, alleged police informant Brown Mogotsi and suspended deputy head of crime intelligence Feroz Khan.
He said the crime intelligence division had not been reformed since the controversial 2011 crime intelligence slush fund scandal during former head of crime intelligence Richard Mdluli’s tenure.
The Madlanga Commission’s first interim report submitted to President Cyril Ramaphosa in December 2025 recommended further investigation of five SAPS officials over the murder of alleged Transnet whistleblower Armand Swart.
The investigation, led by the political killing task team, resulted in the unit’s disbandment after it identified and arrested businessman Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala.
Among the report’s most significant findings was its conclusion that Richard Shibiri, the head of the SAPS Organised Crime Unit, had been complicit in criminal syndicates. He was dismissed after a disciplinary hearing.
Nine other officers at the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department were implicated in the report over the blue light scandal.
EMPD deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi was criticised at the commission for approving what was described as an “endless”, albeit irregular, memorandum of understanding with the EMPD for Matlala’s VIP company to assist in law enforcement.
Matlala had been scheduled to become the last of the individuals named by Mkhwanazi during his 6 July media briefing to appear before the Madlanga Commission. However, the commission confirmed on Monday that he would not testify as scheduled on Tuesday. His testimony would be deferred to a later date.
Mchunu and suspended deputy national police commissioner Shadrack Sibiya have rejected Mkhwanazi’s allegations that they had disbanded the political killings task team at the behest of criminal syndicates.
As it finalises its final report, the ad hoc committee has found Mchunu flouted his constitutional obligation by not consulting either Ramaphosa, suspended police commissioner Fannie Masemola or his two deputy ministers of police — Cassel Mathale and Polly Boshielo — before disbanding the task team on 31 December 2024.
Mchunu has maintained his innocence and argued that he was the first to alert the SAPS about the irregular R360 million Medicare24 Tswane District contract awarded to Matlala. The contract was subsequently terminated by Masemola, who has since been charged as complicit, after more than R50m had been paid to the company.
While Mkhwanazi’s initial briefing focused on the 121 case dockets taken from the task team, the investigation into police corruption has since stretched to irregular municipal tenders, staged drug busts and intelligence leaks between high-ranking officials and implicated cartel members.
The facilitators of the information, such as alleged police informant Tumelo Nku and Mogotsi, have drawn attention to their suspected handlers. Mkhwanazi argued before the commission that suspended deputy head of crime intelligence Khan was feeding information to Mogotsi, who passed it on to Mchunu and who, in turn, relayed it to Matlala.
Khan could not appear during his scheduled hearing before the commission on 1 July as he is reportedly unconscious in hospital after an alleged assassination attempt outside his Houghton residence on 25 June.
He has been implicated in the staged Aeroton drug bust involving 751kg of cocaine while facing criminal charges of running a precious mineral syndicate.
Recommendations from the ad hoc committee’s final report and the Madlanga Commission’s highly anticipated final report on 31 August are expected to have significant ramifications for the criminal justice system, which will determine the fate of the SAPS.