A shield against corruption, not a sword for political combat

IN TODAY’s hyper-politicised society, there is a growing — and deeply misguided — belief that everything must revolve around politics.

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This flawed mindset threatens to erode the neutrality of institutions meant to serve the public without fear or favour. One recent and deeply concerning example of this trend is the attempt by certain political figures to co-opt Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, the KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, into their political ranks.

Following his explosive and sobering revelations, which implicated senior officials — including the Minister of Police — in cover-ups, political interference, and alleged connections to drug lords and compromised members of the judiciary, Mkhwanazi captured the nation’s attention.

His disclosures have shaken the foundations of the South African Police Service (SAPS), and rightly so.

Instead of focusing on the grave implications of his statements, opportunistic political actors have chosen to exploit them — attempting to recruit him into their parties and politicise his principled stance.

This is wholly inappropriate and entirely disingenuous. Mkhwanazi has never expressed any desire to join a political party. He has neither declared any partisan affiliation nor submitted himself as a political aspirant. What he has done — courageously — is stand against corruption. That action alone demands respect and protection from exploitation.