Public Appearances as Usual for Mkhwanazi Amid Death Threats

by Mathipa Phishego

Unshaken by death threats and controversy, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, continues to make bold public appearances following explosive allegations of corruption within the South African Police Service (SAPS) allegations that implicate none other than Police Minister Senzo Mchunu.

Two weeks after his revelations sent shockwaves through the security establishment, Mkhwanazi was spotted yesterday, July 17, patrolling a busy taxi rank in KwaZulu-Natal. Surrounded not by an entourage of bodyguards, but by ordinary officers and conspicuously, without a visible bulletproof vest.

Later the same day, SAPS members under his leadership were involved in a dramatic confrontation that ended with the fatal shooting of three alleged hitmen reportedly engaged in a firefight with police. While authorities have not confirmed a direct link between the hitmen and the threats made against the commissioner, speculation is rife.

Today, in a striking show of defiance and duty. Mkhwanazi participated in Mandela Day commemorations at a SAPS vehicle pound being renovated after flood damage. Wearing overalls and wielding a paint roller, the lieutenant-general joined officers and community members in painting walls again, without any visible security reinforcements.

These public appearances have only strengthened public admiration for the commissioner. Many South Africans have taken to social media to applaud his courage, calling him a symbol of integrity in a police force often mired in scandal.

“He is walking the talk. He’s not hiding, he’s not running. That’s leadership,” said one community member at the Mandela Day event.
Mkhwanazi has not publicly addressed the death threats or commented further on the allegations, which remain under internal investigation.

Minister Mchunu, for his part, has denied any wrongdoing. As tensions simmer within the SAPS ranks, all eyes remain on Mkhwanazi. A man who despite the growing dangers around him, seems determined to keep showing up.