President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged the serious concerns raised during a recent media briefing by the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Describing the situation as a critical national security issue, the President emphasized that it is being treated with the utmost urgency. He stressed the importance of protecting the integrity of the country’s security institutions and upholding the rule of law.
He called for calm and restraint from all sides involved, warning that public accusations and blame-shifting could erode trust, create confusion, and weaken the unity and effectiveness of law enforcement.
The President is expected to outline specific measures in response to the matter once he returns from the BRICS Leaders’ Summit in Brazil.
During the briefing, Mkhwanazi made alarming allegations, stating that organized crime syndicates have infiltrated the criminal justice system. He claimed that both a high-ranking police officer and a civilian, allegedly linked to a powerful syndicate, are connected to the Police Minister.
According to Mkhwanazi, the Police Minister had ordered the disbandment of a task team investigating political killings in KwaZulu-Natal after the arrest of suspected syndicate members last year. These arrests were carried out by the KwaZulu-Natal task team in collaboration with a police unit from Gauteng.
Mkhwanazi expressed his determination to confront those involved in criminal activities, regardless of their positions or connections.