The KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli has officially endorsed Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to come back as the province’s police commissioner.
This comes after a meeting with National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola last week.
“The meeting focused on discussions regarding the future of Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi, whose current term of office is due to conclude on 30 March 2026. During the engagement, Premier Ntuli expressed firm confidence in the leadership, professionalism, and ethical standards demonstrated by Lieutenant-General Mkhwanazi throughout his tenure as Provincial Commissioner.
“The Premier emphasised that effective and stable leadership within the SAPS remains critical to the safety, stability, and socio-economic development of KwaZulu-Natal, particularly in light of the province’s complex and persistent crime challenges,” said KZN Provincial Government in a statement.
Mkhwanazi’s term as a top cop in KwaZulu-Natal is coming to an end after March 2026.
Ntuli said during Mkhwanazi’s term targeted and intelligence-driven interventions have been implemented to combat serious and violent crime, including political killings, organised crime, extortion, and other priority offences that have historically undermined stability in the province, particularly as the country approaches the local government elections.
“The Commissioner’s role has been pivotal in addressing KwaZulu-Natal’s high crime rates, including political killings and extortion,” said Ntuli.
“I have consistently maintained that there is no basis not to recommend a police officer of the calibre of Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi to continue with the work he is doing.”
Mkhwanazi has recently been in the news due to his explosive allegations of widespread corruption, political interference, and criminal infiltration within the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the broader criminal justice system.
In July 2025, Mkhwanazi held a media briefing alleging that a sophisticated criminal syndicate—including politicians, SAPS officials, metro police, and members of the judiciary—had infiltrated law enforcement and intelligence structures.
He accused then-Police Minister Senzo Mchunu of interfering in sensitive investigations and colluding with criminal elements to disband the Political Killings Task Team (PKTT) just as it was unmasking a major syndicate.
