Politicians and Business Figures Implicated in Political Killings, Says Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi
Lt-Gen Mkhwanazi levels complains to politicians and business-people. (Dasen Thathiah)
by Mathipa Phishego
On day two of theMadlanga Commission of Inquiry hearings, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, head of the SAPS Political Killings Task Team, detailed how powerful individuals have not only ordered assassinations but also obstructed investigations. His explosive testimony at the Commission of Inquiry has revealed allegations of deep political and business interference in South Africa’s ongoing political killings crisis. .
Mkhwanazi alleged that orders to kill come from the top, implicating both business leaders and politicians in orchestrating and concealing political murders. “There is a lot of interference with these investigations… in order to close these cases… by business-people and politicians,” Mkhwanazi told the commission.
He further stated, “and by and large, because they’re political cases, the people on the higher level of the syndicates involved are the ones behind the closures of the dockets.”
According to Mkhwanazi, political influence and financial power have routinely compromised the integrity of murder investigations. Cases have reportedly been derailed through docket closures, intimidation of witnesses, and manipulation of law enforcement processes, leaving victims’ families without justice.
These revelations follow Mkhwanazi’s testimony on Wednesday, where he alleged that Minister Senzo Mchunu had ties to syndicates implicated in political killings. “Communication [with his associates] seems to suggest that the Minister Senzo Mchunu is fully involved in the syndicate… Evidence is there on record,” Mkhwanazi told the commission.
The claims mark one of the most direct allegations yet against a sitting government minister in the inquiry, raising concerns about the extent of political complicity in the violence plaguing South Africa.
The Madlanga Commission, established to investigate the surge in political killings, is under increasing pressure as testimony reveals systemic corruption and collusion at the highest levels of power. If proven true, the allegations could erode public trust in both the police and the political establishment.
Civil society groups have called for immediate protection for whistleblowers and witnesses, noting the high risk of intimidation or assassination in cases involving senior figures. The Commission is expected to continue hearing testimony from senior police officers and community members in the coming weeks.
Mkhwanazi’s statements have set the stage for tense confrontations between law enforcement, politicians, and implicated business networks. South Africa’s political killings may not just be a grassroots problem of violent competition, but one sanctioned and shielded from above.