KwaZulu Natal police commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has issued a stark warning that the Madlanga Commission must go beyond identifying failures and must instead compel meaningful reform within South Africa’s criminal justice system. Speaking publicly for the first time since the commission submitted its interim report to President Cyril Ramaphosa, Mkhwanazi made it clear that superficial conclusions would be insufficient in the face of what he has consistently described as a system in profound distress.
His public intervention in July marked a rare and extraordinary moment for a serving provincial police commissioner, a move he said was motivated not by ambition but by desperation. According to Mkhwanazi, silence was no longer an option as institutional decay deepened, eroding public trust and weakening the rule of law.
Desperation Behind An Unprecedented Intervention
Mkhwanazi explained that his decision to address the nation was driven by the growing impossibility of maintaining the appearance of normality within a system he believes is fundamentally compromised. The commissioner described a climate where entrenched problems were being ignored while communities paid the price through rising crime and diminishing confidence in justice.
“The rot was deepening,” he said. “We could no longer pretend everything was working.”
Festive Season Oversight Amid Mounting Pressure
The commissioner made his remarks during a festive season oversight visit in KwaZulu Natal led by Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia. The visit, which included national police commissioner General Fannie Masemola and other senior officers, focused on crime prevention strategies and operational readiness during the annual holiday surge.
Thousands of police officers have been deployed across the province as part of the operation, underscoring the strain placed on frontline policing at a time when public safety concerns are heightened and expectations of law enforcement are at their peak.
Madlanga Commission Under Public Scrutiny
The Madlanga Commission was established in the aftermath of Mkhwanazi’s July briefing, where he made explosive allegations of corruption and political interference within the criminal justice system. Although the commission’s interim report has been handed to the president, its contents remain confidential, a decision that has sparked widespread public criticism.
Mkhwanazi acknowledged that media coverage and public attention have already begun to shift the national conversation, forcing uncomfortable realities into the open and placing pressure on institutions long shielded from accountability.
Media Exposure And Public Judgment
“The media are showing the whole country what is happening,” he said. “It helped us all see the scale of the problem. Now society can judge what comes out of these commissions.”
The commissioner argued that transparency is essential if meaningful reform is to follow, noting that secrecy risks reinforcing public cynicism rather than restoring confidence in the justice system.
Expectations From The Presidency
Mkhwanazi said President Ramaphosa has committed to releasing the final report and allowing space for public engagement once the process is complete. He stressed that this openness would be crucial in rebuilding faith in institutions that many South Africans believe no longer serve their intended purpose.
“We all want a better criminal justice system,” he said. “The status quo cannot continue.”
Police Carrying The Blame For Systemic Failures
A central theme of Mkhwanazi’s remarks was his assertion that police officers are often unfairly blamed for failures that occur after arrests are made. He described a breakdown further along the justice chain, where cases falter despite thorough investigations and successful apprehensions.
“Our job is to investigate, arrest and take matters to court,” he said. “But when those who must process our cases become part of the problem, we are left powerless.”
Discretion Versus Justice
The commissioner expressed deep frustration with prosecutorial decisions, bail outcomes and sentencing practices that he believes routinely undermine police work and weaken deterrence. According to Mkhwanazi, the misuse of discretion erodes public confidence and fuels perceptions that justice is selective.
“If the law says one thing, but discretion is used to block justice, the public becomes dissatisfied,” he said. “It pains us. That is why we spoke out. We want to do our jobs properly.”
Presidency Defends Secrecy Of Interim Findings
The Presidency has confirmed that the interim report will not be released, with spokesperson Vincent Magwenya stating that President Ramaphosa received the document on December 17 but that it remains incomplete. He emphasised that the report was never intended for public consumption.
“The report the president has received is not the one that will be made public,” Magwenya said.
Calls For Patience As Final Report Looms
Magwenya explained that some witnesses are expected to return to expand on their testimony, which has so far addressed only limited aspects of broader systemic issues. The interim report, he said, was designed solely to brief the president on progress rather than present conclusions.
“We need to allow the work to be completed,” he said.
The final report is expected in 2026, a timeline that will test public patience as pressure mounts for decisive action and accountability within a justice system many believe is already on trial.
