KZN top cop's shocking revelations

KWAZULU-NATAL Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has laid bare details of political interference by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and at least two of his predecessors, Nathi Mthethwa and Bheki Cele.

- LOYISO SIDIMBA

Mkhwanazi told the judicial commission of inquiry into criminality, political interference, and corruption in the criminal justice system, chaired by retired Constitutional Court Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga, that political interference was at its worst when he acted as national police commissioner between October 2011 and June 2012.

He said Mthethwa wanted to stop the prosecution of ex-national police crime intelligence head Lieutenant-General Richard Mdluli and stop the disciplinary case against the former top cop.

“If you talk about political interference, that was the worst that I ever experienced. At that time, I came from the specialised operations; the only thing I know is to chase criminals.

“I am promoted to become the acting national commissioner, and I am confronted with this in front of me, and I say, but this is not what I signed up for when I joined the police. This can’t be right,” Mkhwanazi explained.

He testified that he felt that the then-minister could not give him these instructions on how to deal with Mdluli.

“Maybe you brought me to this position and you thought you are going to use me as a pawn, because perhaps of my age or whatever, but you are wrong, I’m not going to do that,” Mkhwanazi, who was in his late 30s at the time, recalled telling Mthethwa.

He said he demanded that Mthethwa, now the country’s ambassador to France, should put it in writing if he wanted him to stop charging Mdluli.