In the intricate web of South Africa's law enforcement, a dramatic power struggle has erupted, threatening to expose a network of corruption and political interference. The central figures in this saga are Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, and Lieutenant General Shadrack Sibiya, the Deputy National Commissioner for Crime Detection. At the heart of the conflict lies a series of explosive allegations that have reached the highest levels of government, leading to suspensions, inquiries, and a nation on edge.
The catalyst for this turmoil was a press briefing held on 6 July 2025, by Lieutenant General Mkhwanazi, where he made startling accusations against Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Lieutenant General Sibiya. Mkhwanazi alleged that Mchunu, aided by Sibiya, had been actively undermining investigations into political killings and organised crime. These were not mere accusations; Mkhwanazi presented a detailed account of how case dockets were removed, investigations were stalled, and a criminal syndicate was allowed to operate with impunity.
According to Mkhwanazi, the roots of this alleged interference trace back to 31 December 2024, when Mchunu purportedly issued a directive to freeze the filling of vacancies in the Crime Intelligence unit and to disband the Political Killings Task Team. This task team, established in 2018, had been investigating a series of politically motivated murders, a sensitive and critical area of law enforcement. Mkhwanazi claimed that on 26 March 2025, a total of 121 case dockets were taken away from the Task Team under the instruction of Sibiya, acting on Mchunu’s orders, effectively halting the investigations. These dockets, Mkhwanazi stated, had been sitting at the police's head office ever since, untouched and unresolved.
Also mentioned in the bombshell is businessman Brown Mogotsi, a highly connected and controversial individual, believed to have previously served as a secret service agent. Mkhwanazi alleged that Mchunu was colluding with both Matlala and Mogotsi, with Sibiya also implicated in this network. According to Mkhwanazi's presentation on 1 January 2025, Mogotsi sent messages to Matlala, who had been arrested by the political killings task team, stating that he, had arranged a meeting for Sibiya and the Minister to find a solution, and that the task team investigating Matlala had been dissolved.
These claims, backed by by WhatsApp messages found in Matlala's phone following his arrest, were generously dished by General Mkhwanazi to the nation in a live press briefing and the bombshell shocked the nation to the core.
In response to these grave accusations, President Cyril Ramaphosa swiftly placed Mchunu on special leave and announced the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry. The commission, led by Acting Deputy Chief Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, is tasked with investigating the allegations of criminal infiltration within law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The scope of the inquiry is broad, encompassing the facilitation of organised crime, suppression of investigations, and intimidation of whistleblowers.
Adding another layer to this complex situation, Lieutenant General Sibiya was also asked to take a leave of absence. This decision, made by National Police Commissioner General Fannie Masemola, came after receiving a memorandum of demands from Mkhwanazi’s supporters. Masemola stated that the leave of absence would allow for internal investigations into Mkhwanazi’s allegations.
However, Sibiya has vehemently denied the accusations against him. He has publicly stated that Mkhwanazi was bringing the South African Police Service into disrepute and that Mkhwanazi "doesn’t know what he’s talking about". Sibiya also alleged that Mkhwanazi had established a parallel investigation team to retrieve the dockets he cited during his press briefing, accusing Mkhwanazi of tampering with evidence that the commission of inquiry would be investigating.
The unfolding events have exposed deep divisions within the SAPS and raised serious questions about the integrity of the justice system. The allegations made by Mkhwanazi, the subsequent actions taken by President Ramaphosa and Commissioner Masemola, and the denials and counter-accusations from Sibiya have created a volatile and uncertain situation.
Adding to the intrigue, African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has stated that if parliamentarians are implicated in the scandal, they must be exposed and dealt with by the Madlanga commission. Mbalula acknowledged the seriousness of the issues raised by Mkhwanazi and cautioned against turning the revelations into a "political football". He also addressed the allegations surrounding Brown Mogotsi, stating that he could not confirm or deny Mogotsi’s ANC membership.
Khumalo was eventually appointed to his current position in 2022 during Bheki Cele’s tenure as police minister and he now heads the political killings task team. Khumalo’s security clearance was allegedly fast-tracked and irregularly issued by an ally, Major-General Philani Lushaba, who had no authority to issue it. These connections have fueled speculation about potential alliances and conflicts of interest within the SAPS.
Furthermore, there are reports of a power struggle between Mchunu and Masemola, with Mchunu allegedly feeling undermined by Masemola’s ties to former Police Minister Bheki Cele who appointed him as the national police commissioner. Rumours suggest that Mchunu wanted to replace Masemola with Sibiya, leading to a factional divide within the SAPS. One faction is allegedly led by Masemola and Mkhwanazi, while the other is led by Mchunu and Sibiya.
According to sources, Mchunu's faction had allegedly planned to arrest Masemola and Mkhwanazi through Idac, as was the case when Khumalo was arrested last month by Idac. Masemola's arrest would then pave the way for Sibiya to be appointed as the new national police commissioner. However, Mkhwanazi pre-empted this move by exposing Mchunu and Sibiya’s alleged ties with Vusimusi "Cat" Matlala, a move that seems to have sealed the fate for Mchunu and Sibiya's faction.
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